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Danil Grigoriev
Mr. Davis
US Government
2 November 2015
Public Transit Act of 2015
In 2013 alone, Americans took 10.7 billion trips on public transportation and the number
keeps rising each year (Kanter 102). For many people, public transportation is their only way of
transportation. Thus, funding of public rail transit should be increased and the Public Transit Act
of 2015 passed. If the amount of people that use public transportation is not enough of a reason,
it is also good for the economy due to construction and operations and to the environment
because of how much gasoline it saves. In addition, it saves space for building projects other than
roads since much of public transit is underground. Thus, we need to increase funding of public
rail transit because it is used very often by many people, it has positive affects on the economy, it
is good for the environment, and it saves space for building projects other than roads.
How often and the amount of people that use public transportation is incredible. It is only
logical to increase funding for it if it is a necessity for so many. In fact, Commuter and urban
rail transit generate 30 billion passenger miles annually (The Effect of Proximity...). This is
significant because it shows just how many people use public rail transit. In addition, 2013 had
the highest annual ridership number in 57 years (Oxford Transport Strategy). This shows that
the need for public transportation has greatly increased. This is important because it shows that
we need more public transportation. The amount of people that use it and how often they use it
shows why the increase in funding of public transportation is necessary.

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Our environment needs public transportation as much as the public. The reason for this
being that rail transit can greatly reduce pollution by reducing the use of gasoline. Already,
Public transportations overall effects save the United States 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline
annually (Connecting to Opportunity...). This is vital because it shows what a positive effect
public transportation has on the environment by reducing use of gasoline and thus reducing air
pollution. Another type of pollution that public transit reduces is water runoff, which is excess
water that runs over surfaces that dont let fluids through, like roads. Water runoff pollution is
bad because is carries pollutants, causes erosion, and prevents water from getting back into the
ground. Rail transit reduces runoff because it consists of thin rails in comparison to wide roads.
Furthermore, While railroad tracks exist on firmly packed land and are therefore impervious as
well, they also are not the same as asphalt in terms of the type of imperviousness. Moreover,
light rail can exist in green spaces (Transit Commuting). This is noteworthy because it shows
that compared to roads, rail transit greatly reduces the surfaces that water runs off of. Increasing
rail transit would really benefit the environment by reducing both water and air pollution.
Increasing rail transit would also greatly benefit our economy. A way that it helps the
economy is by providing jobs: Public transportation provides access to job opportunities for
millions of Americans (The Social Desirability...). This is significant because it shows that
millions of Americans rely on public transportation to make a living. This may seem like a lot
but so many people are still unemployed. In fact, More than a quarter of men 16 to 19 years old
are unemployed, and nearly 14 percent of those between 20 and 24 are, as well. Construction
jobs help in both of those demographics (Kanter 52). This is meaningful because it shows how
many people need jobs and that just the construction of the transit rails could provide them. Once
the new public transit routes are built, it would help the economy even more because of how

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much money public transportation brings in. In particular, Transportation's vital importance to
the U.S. economy is underscored by the fact that more than $1 out of every $10 produced in the
U.S. gross domestic product is related to transportation activity (Public Transportations
Role...). This shows that the amount of money that public transportation makes is
underestimated. We need to increase the funding of rail transit because it would help the
economy by providing jobs and earning money.
Another important benefit of increasing public rail transit is that it saves space for
building projects other than roads. Since public rail transit is mostly underground, land is saved
for other uses. In other words, The rapid transit system allows higher capacity with less land
use, less environmental impact, and a lower cost (Walker 72). This is significant because with
more public transportation we can build more things like buildings and parks rather than roads.
Public transportation also takes traffic away from already existing roads: Underground tunnels
move traffic away from street level, avoiding delays caused by traffic congestion and leaving
more land available for buildings and other uses (The Benefits and Costs...). This shows that the
more public transportation we have, the less traffic we have. This is beneficial because it allows
for people to get places faster. So, increasing funding for it would allow for people to commute
more efficiently.
Some people believe that increasing public transportation is bad for communities because
it makes life for people that live by it worse. They believe that it makes their property less
valuable due to the noise it causes. However, this is not true because, Introducing rail transit
into a region often increases the value of residential property (Public Transportations Role...).
This means that if public transit is introduces by where you live, your home will be worth more.
This is meaningful because it improves peoples lives financially. Also some people believe that

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living by public transit is unsafe, but it is actually safer to live by public transit than by roads
since, Compared to other modes of transport, rapid transit has a good safety record, with few
accidents. Rail transport is subject to strict safety regulations, with requirements for procedure
and maintenance to minimize risk (Urban Transport Challenges). This shows that there are a lot
fewer accident from transit trains than from roads. This is important because it shows that it is
actually safer to live by them. Public transportation does not worsen the lives of people that live
by it, but rather makes it better.
Public transportation allows people to have personal mobility and freedom in every
aspect of their lives. Introducing it into areas improves the lives of people financially and in
terms of safety. It also clears room for building projects other than roads. In addition, billions of
people need it and it helps our economy and the environment. Furthermore, environmental health
is an international issue. We are currently battling global warming and increasing public
transportation could be our answer. We must increase the funding of public rail transit and pass
the Public Transit Act of 2015.

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Works Cited
Books
Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. Move: Putting America's Infrastructure Back in the Lead. N.p.: n.p., n.d.
Print.
Walker, Jarrett. Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our
Communities and Our Lives. Washington, DC: Island, 2012. Print.
Web
"The Benefits and Costs of Highway and Transit Investments." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05423sp.pdf>.
"Connecting to Opportunity: Access to Jobs via Transit in the Washington, D.C. Region." N.p., n.
d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015. <http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2012/11/~/media/
D3589634EEC94C09B895AB17D126DC1F.ashx>.
"The Effect of Proximity to Urban Rail on Housing Prices." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015.
<http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1080&context=jpt>.
"Oxford Transport Strategy." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015. <http://www.oxford.
gov/uk/Library/Documents/Northern%20Gateway/NG%20EH5%20

Oxford

%20Transport%20Strategy%20Consultation%20Draft%20Feb%202015.pdf>.
"Public Transportations Role in Responding to Climate Change." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/PublicTransportationsRoleInRespondingToClimate
Change.pdf>.
"Rail Transportation of Toxic Inhalation Hazards Policy Responses to the Safety and Security
Externality." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015. <http://www.hks.harvard.edu/mrcbg/rpp/Working%20papers/Rail%20Transportation %20of%20TIH.pdf>.

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"The Social Desirability Of Urban Rail Transit Systems." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015. <http:
//www.economics.uci.edu/files/docs/colloqpapers/smallconf/winston_paper_ smallconf.
pdf>.
"Transit Commuting." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015. <https://sustainability.water.ca.gov/transitcommuting;jsessionid=11F132C38AE2C38F9 BEC895234DCAC06>.
"Urban Transport Challenges." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2015. <https://people.hofstra.
edu/geotrans/eng/ch6en/conc6en/ch6c4en.html>.