Roadways to Equity and Justice
Equity and Justice Series Content
Morning crows uttered their caws perched atop a streetlight. Their jet-black coats penetrated the faint haze cast by the pale-yellow sky. Underneath the streetlight stood a man, leaning against the chilled pole of a bus stop at the corner of 87th and Jeffery. It was hardly enclosed, just 6 poles holding up a roof. No walls. And one bench that could seat three, though only two comfortably. He chose to stand so as not to ruin his pants. He had just worn them to church the day prior but ironed them again last night. Today, first impressions were everything. His shoes reflected some of the early morning glow, courtesy of his wife who buffed them that morning with some oil and a loose rag. Blue and white striped socks peaked out just under his ankle: his favorite socks. He wasn’t sure if they were lucky, but he hoped today he would find out. At the very least, they provided a sense of ease that everything would be okay.
The relentless wind slapped his face as the sunlight crept over the east. He rubbed his dark, brown hands together and checked the time on his wrist: 6:15. He planned it all out the night before: interview at 8:30, arrive in the city by 8:00, bus departs at 7:00, get to the bus stop at 6:30. No. He wasn’t a gambling man. Make that 6:15. And there he stood. Waiting. Eyes fixed on the road, scanning for two beams of light traveling on 8 wheels. Hoping — praying — that maybe this time, things will go his way.
Investing in quality public transit is one avenue for moving towards more equitable and, eventually, just communities. With advanced systems of transit, members of marginalized communities can have increased access to job centers and opportunities for professional growth, fostering community growth as more wealth and opportunities are brought back into the area. This new and equitable distribution of wealth and opportunities promotes stability and success among community members who would not need to rely on lengthy, unreliable commutes into cities.
Successfully sustained over time, quality public transit can help bring justice to historically disadvantaged communities.
Public transit systems in U.S. cities are neither reliable nor efficient. With constant traffic jams and frequent stops, it is nearly impossible to accurately predict when your ride will arrive and depart or when you will get to your destination.
As a result of such inadequacies, many opt to travel by personal automobile. The promise of reliability and time savings by personal vehicles encourages more cars to take the road, leading to more traffic and more accidents that slow all forms of transit. This is particularly challenging for people in lower-income communities who are more reliant on public transit because they are unable to afford a personal vehicle. To make matters worse, 45% of the U.S. population lacks access to public transit. The need to improve and expand public transit systems is very prevalent in this country.
Poor and inaccessible transit systems disproportionately affect communities of color. The language of “dependent” versus “choice” is used to differentiate types of riders: those for whom public transit is their only means of transportation and those who have the option. Consequently, cities have invested more in transit systems for choice riders, since the dependent riders have no option but to take what they are given. The dependent-rider transit systems are bare-bones, slow, and unreliable; the choice-rider systems are designed for comfort, speed, and reliability.
People of color fall under the “dependent rider” group, while white people fall under the “choice rider” group. This illustrates the main problem with public transit: it does not serve people of color. Their communities, typically lower-income and far from city centers, have generally poor access to transit. Finding jobs and obtaining basic goods and services becomes a challenge without quality transit. As New York Times writer Gillian White explains, “Access to just about everything associated with upward mobility and economic progress — jobs, quality food, and goods (at reasonable prices), healthcare, and schooling — relies on the ability to get around in an efficient way, and for an affordable price.”
One means of improving the quality of public transit is by investing in a system like bus rapid transit (BRT). BRT is a transit method that provides quicker and more reliable transport compared to standard bus systems and light rail. It originated in the 1970s in Curitiba, Brazil; today, 75% of the city utilizes BRT, amounting to 1.3 million riders per day. But complete BRT systems are few and far between in the U.S. It is common to find transit systems that implement certain aspects of BRT, but without all the key components, the systems fall short of their capabilities.
The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy outlined the five “essential features” of BRT. First, BRT operates in separate, bus-only lanes. These exclusive lanes are conducive to efficient travel, as there is no traffic or interference from other automobiles. Second, the lanes are located towards the center of roads, so as to limit commotion near curbs where vehicles are idling or turning. A third aspect of BRT is nuanced fare collection. Riders pay for their tickets prior to boarding at the station so they can hop on the buses without delays. Boarding speed is also quicker due to the platform height. BRT systems have platforms that are level with the bus, increasing accessibility for wheelchairs and strollers and allowing all riders to swiftly board and depart. Lastly, the buses run faster routes since they receive priority at intersections. Not only is BRT often linked to the traffic lights grid, but cars are also unable to make turns across the bus lanes, further reducing transit time.
When all five aspects of BRT are implemented together, they successfully provide high quality transportation options to a community. But no system is without barriers to execution. In order for complete BRT systems to be realized, there must be infrastructure changes: roadways would need to be redesigned to delineate the bus-only lanes; new stations and platforms would also require some construction, alongside smaller adjustments of road signage and the development of new transit routes. Unfortunately, any change at the infrastructural level is costly, and given the amount of construction a BRT installation requires, the city needs to write a hefty check.
The expenses make BRT prone to cost-cutting since cities can ration that implementing only a couple aspects of BRT can make enough of a difference. But cutting corners comes at the expense of the overall efficacy of BRT. If a city elects to have passengers pay on board (a seemingly minor aspect to forego), this will add significant delays to commutes and reduce the efficiency and reliability of the system. In the U.S., many BRT systems are incomplete and inefficient, a result of such cost-cutting.
Notably, the majority of barriers are centered around financing installation, not operation. As such, cities should look to the potential return on investment that quality transit systems like BRT can provide. Faster service increases the efficiency of a system, thereby requiring less operational costs. Cities may also seek to form partnerships with the private sector for financial aid. For instance, New Balance purchased a commuter rail system in Boston, paying for its construction and operational costs for the first decade. And while privatized rail systems are new to the U.S., several transit systems in other countries are owned by private companies. There is potential in looking towards the private sector for supporting the installation of new, high quality public transit. Another potential solution is to disincentivize cars by reducing parking spots or promoting non-motorized transportation in cities. This creates more available space for BRT systems.
However, any infrastructure change is going to be an investment. And with any such consideration, we must ask: Why is quality public transit, and specifically BRT, worth it?
The bottom line is that U.S. transit systems are in dire need of improvements. Advancements in public transit systems have a positive impact on communities: safety and efficiency are two key benefits of quality public transit. According to the American Public Transportation Association, risk of accidents is reduced by 90% when taking public transit instead of traveling by car. Additionally, prioritizing public transit over cars reduces road congestion and allows for efficient transport.
But we must also return our focus to marginalized communities. These communities are the most in need of systems of quality transport to increase access and ridership. Public transit can generate revenue for the community, with approximately 87% of revenue from public transit trips feeding the local economy. More passengers increase contributions to the economic success of communities.
There is an assumption that any investments in transportation or infrastructure will drive up house prices and property values; however, affordable housing can be located in communities with BRT systems. Land in less-desirable locations — i.e. further from the city — is cheaper. If the land can easily be connected to a city’s existing transit, then there is an opportunity for cities to purchase that land and build affordable housing. With housing near transit stations (not directly next to, as that is more expensive), the city could then invest in building a BRT system to deliver a promise of efficient and reliable commutes to people in the community.
Marginalized communities ultimately need quick, reliable, and affordable transport to cities to increase job opportunities. If a city can sustain this quality transit, then over time, people in these communities will have access to better and higher paying jobs. Eventually, that money finds its way back into the community, and the result is a more equitable distribution of wealth and a prosperous community.
The goal is for all communities of color to have this sustained equity by means of access to quality public transit. BRT provides one solution for communities of color, but it would take time for justice to be achieved with this system alone. Other community developments, like affordable housing and diverse-use buildings, must work together alongside quality public transit to create just communities.
Stepping off the bus at Washington and Clark, the man checked his watch for the fifth time in the past minute. 8:08. Time to put his Chicago-walk to the test: head down, long strides, quick steps, stay right. A surefire way to shave time off his ETA. He cautioned a couple glances at the time as he hustled through the streets. He could not let himself be late, not after he so diligently planned to arrive a comfortable 15 minutes early. The traffic was exceptional. They idled for at least six minutes behind a driver trying to parallel park for what appeared to be their first ever attempt. But how could he have predicted that? And how did they miss four green lights in a row? No, no more ruminating. He needed to rack his brain with his answers to the classic, “Tell me about yourself” or “Why do you want to work for us?” His responses to which must be succinct, unique, and confident.
Rounding the corner, he arrived at the front entrance of the office. The revolving door spat him out in the middle of the sterile, hollow lobby. He shuffled over to the elevators and gave a slight nod to his reflection in their shiny doors as he rebuttoned his jacket and smoothed out his pants. Ding! Deep breath. He stepped in the elevator, pressed 17, and checked his watch one last time. 8:25. He made it… barely.
