Tea Party is a creation of the oil industry which lives in fear of #publictransit

Tea party targets mass transit plans | The Daily News Journal | dnj.com: "INDIANAPOLIS — Tea party activists who are among the harshest critics of a proposal to boost central Indiana's mass transit offerings told a legislative committee Oct. 3 that they oppose any tax increases to pay for expanding local bus service or a possible light rail line in the heavily populated region."

Minnesota facing massive #autosprawl costs

MnDOT chief: $50 billion needed for transportation | Minnesota Public Radio News: ""If we look at some corridors which really do need expansion to accommodate commerce, to accommodate trucking, to accommodate people getting to their jobs," he said, "if you think of the population coming into the metro area, we just aren't equipped to handle the population and maintain the quality of life the state enjoys.""

More than half of USA in a drought

More than half of USA in a drought: "Hot, dry weather over the past week led to worsening drought in the central USA: In the Midwest, where temperatures have been as much as 10 degrees above normal over the past week, drought expanded in parts of Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to the monitor."

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Suburban sprawl, subsidized for years, caused #climatechange, now needs a bailout

Des Plaines River flood plan calls for new levees, wetlands and dam removal - chicagotribune.com: "New flood-control projects targeted for the Des Plaines River could prevent millions of dollars in damages to Chicago-area homes and businesses, engineers say — but only if taxpayers can come up with the millions needed to pay for them."

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Increased Transit Will Reduce Carbon Emissions

Center for Neighborhood Technology: "Public transit has the potential to reduce the United States’ annual CO2 emissions by 37 million metric tons. That’s the equivalent of over 7.2 million cars off the road and 4.2 billion gallons of gas saved each year. In Chicago, the CTA estimates that its buses and trains keep 400,000 cars off regional roads every day. And, demand for public transit in Chicago is increasing: total CTA ridership jumped by 2.4 percent in 2012, with rail ridership increasing by 4.2 percent."

#Carfree Indiana family goes tent camping. Yes, Indiana.

Gone With the Schwinn: "One of our goals has been to go camping via our bikes, and we've done it!"

Lake Shore Drive should move people, not traffic

Chicago Sun-Times: "Lake Shore Drive is being redesigned with everyone in mind — not just auto traffic. All transportation projects should be built with moving people in mind, not traffic. Repurposing parts of Lake Shore Drive for bus or light rail are more efficient uses of space and will lead some people out of their cars, not cause more traffic. The evidence is in and it proves that the alarmism exhibited in this editorial is unfounded. Chicagoans and planners should recognize this. Moving people, not just traffic, should be the No. 1 priority."

Kudos to [Madison County] MCT! | Clarissa's Blog

Kudos to MCT! | Clarissa's Blog: "The standard of living in any area depends, to a significant degree, on the availability of a reliable and accessible public transportation system. We are supremely fortunate in Madison County to have MCT serve our needs. It is very cheap, so anybody can afford it but the standard of service is extremely high. Among other things, MCT offers a door-to-door service for the disabled and the elderly. Just imagine what a difference a service like this can make in the life of a disabled person.

Thank you, MCT, you are the best!"

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People want more #publictransit. How many times do we have to tell you.

Business Record: "A large majority of voters in four major U.S. cities believe that it is important to invest in public transportation, according to a survey funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and conducted by Global Strategy Group.

The survey conducted public opinion surveys in Chicago, Boston, Nashville and Pittsburgh. In each city, 85 percent or more of respondents agreed that it was important to invest in public transportation in order to ensure that communities grow and thrive."

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Kokomo’s Public Transit Adds Trolleys, Strengthens Routes & Maintains Free Ridership

Kokomo Perspective: News: "“It’s great to be able to extend Kokomo’s public transportation service and keep it free of charge at a time of ridership growth,” said Mayor Greg Goodnight. “The new trolleys and expanded routes connect more residential neighborhoods to our parks, schools, medical service facilities and shopping areas.”
In 1964, Kokomo discontinued its public bus system. In 2010, the City of Kokomo introduced the City-Line Trolley as free public transit, and the demand for its service has steadily increased."