By: Hana Katz, David Roberts, and Ben Dziobek
What do most young people and older people living in New Jersey have in common? Isolation without public transportation.
Lack of access to affordable, efficient, and comprehensive public transportation is a concern that crosses generational lines in New Jersey. Unsafe walking along roads without sidewalks or bike lanes, dodging speeding and reckless vehicles, and inconvenient public transit routes have become the norm for young residents and those who do not drive in New Jersey.
Now, NJ Transit is facing a dire financial situation as a result of years of insufficient funding and the absence of a consistent revenue stream. Loyal riders will be forced to experience significant service cuts, service-wide fare increases, and strict limits on ticket viability.
Investing in public transportation is essential to meeting our state’s climate goals. According to NJ Transit, 270 million passenger trips are made yearly by New Jersey residents. The agency reports switching from cars to public transport reduces an individual’s carbon footprint by:
- 47% with buses
- 63% with light rail
- 69% with commuter rail
In a state where 40% of carbon emissions are from vehicles, one would expect more effort to develop a diversified mix of sustainable solutions. Our leaders have tunnel vision on car-centric planning, even to achieve our state’s climate goals.
What Young People Want
- Dedicated funding for sustainable public transportation infrastructure
- Stakeholder engagement in land-use decisions
- Political consideration of the needs of marginalized communities
- A permanent funding mechanism for sustainable, statewide public transit
- Implementation of zero-emission buses, light rails, and passenger trains
There is a difference between promising climate action as campaign lip service and codifying legislation that follows through on actual climate goals. Young residents are aware of the many benefits of a robust and fully supported public transportation system. The Public Transportation Act of 1979 established NJ Transit to “acquire, operate and contract for transportation service in the public interest.” The youth need our leaders to hold true to NJ Transit’s founding principles.