Northwest Indiana Transit Brain Storming

The debate about the Illiana Expressway has gotten me thinking about alternatives to current modes of transportation. Most Americans today use cars and trucks to travel to and from work, leisure activities, and other locations. What alternatives to automobiles are available?

The Small Urban & Rural Transit Center has some ideas about operating mass transit in western states. Of particular interest is an article that studies how to serve elderly populations who live in rural areas.

As population across rural regions of the United States consolidates around trade centers, the proportion of elderly remaining in small towns and rural areas continues to grow. Their growing proportion and increasing average age is bound to have an influence on their mobility, and a new SURTC study should help researchers and policy makers assess the situation.

Any transit study done locally will have to assess the demographics of our rural areas to ensure that the elderly aren't left behind in policy decision making since they are often the ones who remain behind in smaller towns as younger people leave to seek employment and opportunities in the suburbs and urban areas.

Another idea that could work in smaller towns could be a "bike share" concept that allows people to pay a fee to borrow bikes located in areas around the town. Toronto has this type of bike share program, but it could be modified to address the needs of people wanting to get exercise and avoid driving their cars short distances.

Of course, there's always a problem with "bikes missing in action." Maybe private bike ownership could be encouraged, instead of a communal-style ownership model, so prevent the inevitable waste and fraud that will occur when people aren't fully responsible for their bicycle.

I wonder if an Indianapolis-style "people mover" or another monorail system like the Las Vegas system could work someplace in Northwest Indiana? Maybe lines could be run along Broadway starting at the South Shore Line south to the Methodist and VA Hospitals. Branch lines could run from the central Broadway line to Porter Hospital and downtown Valparaiso, the Lake County Government Center, and the lakefront casinos.

Maybe car sharing could be an option? Dave Brook blogs about the service that allows members to borrow cars as they are needed. Of course, ride sharing could be an option as well.



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