Friday, July 10, 2009

Go Blue!

When I attend the OYFP Speaker Series event two days ago, I was really struck by a point made during the lecture. Boston spent 15 Billion on the Big Dig project, making sure people who drive have a better trip into the city, but does little if anything for those who rely on public transportation.

Just imagine, Boston, what kind of public transportation we could have currently if even half of that amount of money was used to create a better public transportation for the City of Boston. We would have new train cars that won't break down or become disabled and delay your trip home every day. When you are waiting for the bus you would actually know how much longer it will be until the next bus arrives because of the electronic sign above you. The Green line would go underground and you would no longer have to stop at every intersection because of street traffic and could actually get you to work on time.

Sigh, okay back to reality. Instead, those of us who rely on public transportation to get to and from work, or even navigate Boston are facing a possible 20% increase in prices to ride the T. If the city really is trying to be more green or more blue as John, our speaker, likes to say (the earth is 70% made of water), than shouldn't our government make public transportation a priority?

If public transportation was more reliable, and made Boston more accessible, than we could take more cars off the road and reduce the amount of Carbon Dioxide we release into the atmosphere, thus less pollution for the ocean! Win-win!

Do you think the state should spend money upgrading its public transportation system?

Picture Courtesy of: http://herokids.wordpress.com/

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