In Search of a City: Stop Auto-Dependency
Columbus Dispatch to readers: “Get out of the car.” In a November 14 editorial that sounded like an intervention with an alcoholic, the Dispatch commented on a report by the National Complete Streets Coalition that advocated a required use of federal transportation funds to accommodate pedestrians, bicycles, and users of public transit.
The Dispatch did not support federal requirements for such accommodations. It did, however, launch into a 15-column-inch editorial about the problems created by automobile dependency.
“People are forced to climb into their cars to take care of their fundamental needs, including commutes to work, school and grocery. They once visited on front porches and walked to the nearby downtown or neighborhood shop. Now they drive to a big-box retailer located in a strip mall, where even the parking lots are pedestrian hazards.”
The editorial links auto-dependency on a breakdown in neighborhood cohesion, recreation and healthy activities. It also notes the connection between the obesity epidemic and sedentary lifestyles of the motoring public.
The editorial begs a question. When will we stop subsidizing this lifestyle?
Tags: Public Transportation