A Wall Street Journal article on the issue summed up with a quote from our own Andy Darrell, vice president for Living Cities:

What we're seeing around the country is that transit is underfunded and is having a really hard time meeting that demand," Mr. Darrell said. "Our government should be ready to meet that demand, to embrace it."

The benefits would go way beyond public transportation. As Andy stated in his Senate testimony:

Expanding transit now is just the right tonic to help get through tough economic times. It is also a key solution to tackle climate change, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and boost the economic competitiveness of our population centers.

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

This message is hauntingly conveyed by a street art installation showing polar bears coming to life as a subway passes beneath them:

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

• No sheltered place to park my bike.
• No place to park my bike at all – other bikes chained to all available racks and poles.
• Rules against chaining bikes to city property like trees or poles.
• Theft of anything not locked down – seat, wheels, bell, bike rack, or the entire bike. (Check out this YouTube video: "How to Steal a Bike in NYC".)
• Drivers who ignore bike lanes and seem unaware of how easily they could kill a biker.
• Bikers who ignore traffic laws and come at you the wrong way in bike lanes.
• Car doors that open treacherously into bike lanes.
• Streets with no bike lanes at all.
• Jaywalkers who mistakenly think that bikes can stop as quickly and easily as cars.

Thankfully, help is on the way. New York City has turned decidedly pro-bike under Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Jeannette Sadik-Khan. And the non-profit group America Bikes is helping to bring bike-friendly changes to communities across the country.

An Early False Start in NYC

In early 1980, Mayor Koch visited China and saw bicycles dominating the streets rather than cars. He thought this was a brilliant solution to urban congestion, and came back to New York and installed bike lanes. The low concrete barriers separating the bike lanes were ineffective, and eventually removed.

Seven years later, that same Mayor Koch tried to ban bike traffic on three major avenues due to biking accidents. (This plan was strongly opposed and dropped a few months later.)

Doing Right by Bikes in NYC

Today, New York City is doing it right, with a comprehensive plan to make New York bike friendly. In 2006, NYC DOT committed to installing 200 miles of bike lanes over the next three years. Over 80 miles have been installed to date, and the city plans 1800 miles of bike lanes by 2030.

And that's not all.

New York's Summer Streets program closes major streets to traffic on certain days. There are plans to create bike paths that are physically separated from traffic. And New York has issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for a bike share program.

Bike sharing is gaining traction in many towns and cities around the world. The idea is to place bikes in strategic locations, and let people pick them up where needed and drop them off near their destination. For example, Paris has 1,450 self-service rental stations about 300 yards apart. There are four times as many bike stations as metro stations, and the system has been a huge success.

There is a similar bike sharing system in Copenhagen, where EDF transportation expert Michael Replogle told me that 30 percent of trips are by bicycle, compared to less than 2 percent in New York today. Commissioner Sadik-Khan has brought in consultants from Copenhagen to help New York do what Copenhagen has done.

Bike parking is critical, and NYC DOT is working on that, as well. Last week some whimsical racks designed by David Byrne were installed around the city. The broader CityRacks program has plans to install free, convenient bike parking throughout the five boroughs.

There are private efforts, as well. In January, the New York Times published an article about a planned bike parking garage, with an attendant, in midtown Manhattan. At the time the developers were looking for funding – I don't know if they ever received it. The nonprofit group Bikestation also provides parking, but they're only in a few cities so far and New York isn't one of them.

With the great progress New York is making, it won't be long before I'm riding my bike to work again.

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

Yesterday we sent an email to our action network asking how people were coping with high oil prices. The response on our sister blog, the Green Room, was enthusiastic – over 600 comments! Here are some of our favorites, organized by topic:

Strategies to Increase Gas Mileage

From Ann:

I've been driving 60 mph on the highway and have seen a dramatic improvement in my gas mileage. I'm getting 38-40 mpg in my Toyota Camry on the highway! Drive 60 when you go.

From Mike Frisch:

I have dropped my fuel use by 70-80%

1) I bicycle two days per week (25 mile round trip) – great exercise & fun.

2) I purchased an electric bike/scooter (Ego cycle 2 LX, cost $1700) and I use it two days per week – costs 10 cents to charge it – great fun.

3) On the days I have to use my car, I carpool, and I drive 60 mph or less to save fuel.

Editor's Note: For others thinking of trying scooters, be sure to do it safely. Motorcycle and scooter accidents are on the rise due to inexperienced converts.

Alternative Fuels to Power Cars

From Charlton Jones:

In April I completed the conversion of an older car to all electric. I have been driving for less than 5 cents a mile since. I used lead acid batteries and components off the shelf. I didn't invent anything. I can drive on the freeways and have 150 mile range. It's surprising that the car manufacturers can't do as well. GM had the lead in electric cars in 1996 with the EV-1, but then they crushed them all. (If GM had been in change in 1492, Columbus would still be in port.) I enjoy my electric car, but I also ride a bicycle for short trips. It's a shame more people don't realize how smoothly a bicycle fits into traffic at very low cost in fuel, pollution and congestion. Bicycles and electric cars can solve the current oil fiasco.

Editor's Note: Is there a business opportunity here? Another commenter, Bobby J., asks if Charlton would be willing to make one for him!

From Tom Smith:

My dad has always shown an interest in renewable energy. Now he is involved in a project that I find very appealing. Instead of using commodities like corn to make biofuel, his project involves algae. The algae requires CO2 and our nation's power plants are under pressure to reduce CO2 emmisions. If biofuel production plants are constructed next to power plants and other sources of CO2, we can turn the CO2 emissions into a positive by consuming it to grow algae for renewable energy production.

Editor's Note: Contrary to what abinkow says in his comment, algae is indeed a very promising source of fuel.

Electricity from Human Movement

From Abe Velez:

We of course need to find more ways of capturing and re-purposing sustainable energy, and here's one that I think should happen: the fitness industry in the U.S. is bigger than ever, but right now we're powering our treadmills by burning energy (mostly non-sustainable electricity from coal etc.) in order to then burn our bodies' own energy (calories). This doesn't make sense. How can we close the loop and use all this chocolate cake-fueled energy of ours to power our fitness equipment?

Editor's Note: This is happening! See our post on electricity from human movement.

From haikuza:

Has anyone heard of Trevor Field's Play Pumps, or Raj Pandian's Swing Generators? It's the coolest thing. Inventions use playground equipment & all that natural kid energy to pump water and generate electricity. We could get our kids off Ritalin & harness the power! Can't find a proper link to Pandian's work, but you can google him.

Editor's Note: Apparently both were invented by Raj Pandian. He invented a swing, a seesaw, and a merry-go-round that generate electricity (see the links I added). Cool stuff! For more examples of human power conversion, check out our story on electricity from human movement.

Ways to Encourage Solar Power

From Pavel Ivanov:

I want make solar power available in my home and I am looking to buy a house. The problem is the architecture of the city is such that the houses are street oriented (facing the street) and not solar oriented (the main slope of the roof facing south). I would prefer to have a lot of south windows and definitely not west windows. With the south windows the sun can warm the room during the winter but not during the summer – east and west windows work in the opposite way.

From halhurst:

In Idaho there is a prototype generating technology project called the solar road, which produces solar power from a paved driving surface. Considering the vast area, both public and private, which is already paved, this is an idea which bears looking into.

Editor's Note: Interesting! I found some articles on solar roads on Treehugger and Renewable Energy World.

Obstacles to Saving Energy at Home

From fugue137:

The increasing rate of renters vs. homeowners presents another interesting conundrum: few landlords will upgrade the energy efficiency of their rental properties, preferring to force the energy costs onto their tenants. Of course, energy efficiency of a house depends both on equipment and on usage patterns, so I propose a federal law mandating that landlords and tenants must split utility bills 50-50. Um, except that it's unconstitutional. But nobody really reads that thing anymore anyway, and this law would surely do some good.

From Marilyn:

To use less energy, we should be able to hang our laundry out on clotheslines. But many Homeowner Associations (HOAs) across the country have restrictions against their use. Pressure should be placed on HOAs and state legislatures to rescind this regulation. It is just common sense to dry laundry using solar energy and not use the electric or gas dryer.

We Need Improved Public Transit!

From Mark Farmer:

Do away with toll roads and instead pay for the repair of bridges and highways with increased gasoline taxes!!

This past Saturday I and thousands of other motorists on the Mass. Turnpike spent nearly one hour to go less than ten miles just to get through the limiting toll booth at exit 9. There was no accident, just a back up from the toll plaza. There must be millions of gallons of fuel wasted at toll booths and millions of man hours lost at these uneeded bottle necks.

Editor's Note: Believe it or not, many states do not allow motorist user fees like tolls to be used for public transit! A pending bill in the House would change this.

From Carolyn Moore:

[Build Better] Public Transit – Yeh! I wanted to use it to get to my last job which was a 20 minute drive from home. Turns out it would take 2 hours with one transfer plus a mile walk at beginning, middle and end, and if one didn't make the transfer in time, add another hour. No one has 4 to 6 hours a day to commute when 40 minutes will do it. Then I wanted to make a trip from Phoenix, AZ to Portland, OR (2 major cities) by train. This is the route: Bus to Flagstaff, train to LA, switch to a train to Stockton, bus to Sacramento, train to Portland, and better part of 3 days. Insane!

From Andrew:

I saw on the local news here in the Chicago area how Amtrak had SOLD OUT tickets for seats aboard their trains this weekend. When was the last time any of you heard that on the news??? I think it's awesome. Proof positive that when faced with hardships, people WILL explore alternatives. We can whip the oil problem, America! Taking the first step is often the most difficult part of it all. Once done however, the rest comes with relative ease. That said, SUPPORT AMTRAK! Give us MORE TRAINS!

From Jeannine Mead:

I believe public transportation is of vital importance…not only in cities, but between cities, small and large. Amtrak should be upgraded in all parts of the country and have regular schedules starting in early morning and run until at late in the evening. I live 40 miles from a large city and trying to get into it for anything is impossible with the traffic. We are not commuters, but we do enjoy going into our large city for concerts and other activities although town has turned into a commuter town and this is happening all over the country.

Innovative Ways to Get to Work

From Linus:

I work in a remote location about 30 minutes outside a moderate-sized rural town. To save money and the environment, my coworkers and I changed our schedules to 9-hour days and convinced our employer to let us use a company vehicle (a hybrid Escape, no less) to make the commute. We buy punch cards to keep track of payment and have a set departure time and scheduled drivers, so we don't have the headaches typical of standard carpools. Five people in a car getting over 30 mpg is a big improvement!

From Lisa Petrie:

I approached the Supt. of Schools in my district a couple of years ago, and asked if teachers could ride the local school bus instead of driving our own cars. He loved the idea! I had to carry my school photo ID so that the bus drivers recognized me, but that's easy enough.

My schedule this past year prevented me from riding, but I plan to work around that this year.

Kids in my school call the bus the "loser cruiser". But when they see adults taking the bus, by choice, perhaps this could be a first positive lesson in mass transport for them…? Honestly, I've had great conversations with high school kids on the short ride to school. Nice.

From Joe Thurston:

I am a systems programmer at a large insurance company. I could easily do my job at home. Give employers incentives to re-think the need to have a body on site. Virtually everyone in my organization could work at home 2 days a week – think of all the commuter miles that would be saved! The biggest stumbling block is an old-fashioned attitude among management – they need to have a reason to think differently.

Make Cities More Bike-Friendly

From Michael Mullowney:

In areas where public transportation is not an option, people ought to consider biking as a more realistic option and great way to exercise. In the long run, employers could help here by providing locker rooms so an employee could clean up after a potentially sweaty commute.

From Mary:

Make bicycling safer. There are a few bike lanes and they are not enforced. I see cars in them all the time. People here have been killed by motorists. There are alot of people who get angry because we want bike lanes. I am fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood where alot of my errands can be run locally. The places are too far for me to walk to due to my disability but I can easily make these trips on a bike. Unfortunately, bicycling is hazardous and I have a baby and don't care to put our lives in danger doing so.

From Brian:

Change public transit vehicles to accommodate all bicycles. Some, such as the older trolley cars in San Diego, make it difficult to load your bicycle. You must climb narrow vertical steps up and down to get from street level to car floor level. Holding the bicycle firmly your front wheel swings around wildly, banging on the sides. You may find things knocked off your backpack. The newer cars permit a street-level entry. Road bikes are especially difficult to load, what to speak of mountain bikes.

Thanks to everybody for posting so many useful observations and ideas!

We've posted several articles recently about the transportation crisis in this country – a painful combination of astronomical gas prices, inadequate public transit, and bike challenges in some cities. Well, okay, we haven't posted about biking yet, but we will soon!

Our Transportation by the Numbers list puts the situation in high relief. For example, did you know that 20 percent of public transit agencies in the U.S. are cutting services due to budget constraints, and 46 percent of Americans have no access to public transit at all? Use of public transit is at a 50-year high due to soaring gas prices, and yet services are being cut. Something is wrong with this picture!

Do you have a public transit story to tell? Tell us how you're coping with crowded parking at commuter train stations, crowded buses and trains, or whatever else is happening in your area. We'd love to hear your experiences. I'll be posting about my bike challenges in New York City in the next week or two.

Today, the New York City MTA proposed another fare and toll hike to manage a projected $900 million deficit next year. To avoid service cuts, according to WNYC, MTA head Lee Sander is "going begging everywhere, to Governor Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, the federal government, and riders."

But in many other cities across the country, service cuts due to budget shortfalls are unavoidable. Ironically, communities are cutting services just when use of public transit is at a 50-year high due to skyrocketing gasoline prices (see map).

To avoid cutting these crucially important services, public transit systems urgently need federal help.

Consider this plea for help from the State of Pennsylvania:

Public transit systems … are experiencing increased ridership. … However, Pennsylvania lacks a stable, dedicated funding source for public transit and revenues fail to keep pace with operating costs. … Without a dedicated funding source, many of Pennsylvania's 73 public transit systems will be forced to make drastic cuts in service that will have a negative economic affect on local economies because workers will have difficulty getting to jobs, schools, doctor’s offices and stores.

The same thing is happening in Cleveland. According to the Regional Transit Authority head Joe Calabrese, ridership is up 10 percent, but fares don't cover the cost of diesel fuel:

We may have to cut more service because we have to pay for the diesel fuel.

This is happening all across the country. Many transit systems depend on revenue from local sales and real estate taxes, and these funds have been plummeting due to the national recession. Public transit systems are in crisis.

Three bills to fund public transit have been introduced in the House:

• Flexibility Incentive Grant Pilot Program (H.R. 1606 – Rep. Matsui, D-CA)
• Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act (H.R. 6052 – Rep. Oberstar, D-MN)
• The Transportation and Housing Options for Gas Price Relief Act (H.R. 6495 – Rep. Blumenauer, D-OR

The Oberstar bill was passed by the House last month and referred to the Senate, which has not yet decided whether to consider it. The other two bills are still pending in the House, and each have features that would improve the final bill.

The Matsui bill, for example, says that states should allow motorist user fees and gas taxes to be applied to public transit – something that many states do not currently allow.

The Blumenauer bill, introduced only last week, supports new transit alternatives and improved urban planning, as well as current transportation options. It would allocate funds to:

• Expand public transportation to help transit agencies deal with
  high fuel prices.
• Encourage pay-as-you-drive auto insurance policies that discourage driving by rewarding low mileage drivers with lower insurance premiums.
• Reduce commuting costs by providing incentives to employers and employees to take transit, bicycle, carpool, walk, or telecommute to work.
• Help local governments manage transportation demand, and create walkable, bikeable communities that are well-served by transit.
• Educate consumers on the environmental, energy, and economic benefits of transportation alternatives versus the single occupancy vehicle.
• Spur the availability of "Location Efficient Mortgages" that discourage excessive driving from urban sprawl by making home ownership near transit more affordable.

We hope that the Senate will take up the Oberstar bill that was passed in the House, and improve it with features from these other bills. There could be no better economic stimulus package than a bill to support affordable transit choices for working Americans.

A shift towards public transit can save Americans money, stimulate the economy, reduce dependence on foreign oil, alleviate traffic congestion, and reduce global warming pollution – and it's already happening. Congress can make a big difference just by supporting local governments so transit systems can keep up with the demand.

The high cost of gas has pushed retail gas purchases down 2 to 3 percent. What are people doing instead? Taking public transportation!

The first quarter report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) found that use of public transportation is skyrocketing in tandem with gas prices. Last year 10.3 billion trips were taken on U.S. public transportation — the highest in 50 years. Ridership on streetcars, trolleys, commuter rails, subways, and buses are all up. Even Amtrak ridership is soaring.

This shift presents an historic opportunity.

It was hard to get us Americans out of our cars when gas was cheap, but now we're trying public transportation in record numbers. And once people try it, odds are they'll prefer it, which is great news for the environment.

Good public transportation is more pleasant than a private car (you can't read while you're driving), and far cheaper. A calculator on the APTA Web site shows how much you can save by leaving your car parked at home.

The problem is that too few Americans have convenient and reliable access to public transportation. When the transportation bill comes up for reauthorization, Congress will have an opportunity to address this. Instead of the usual tired formula that favors roads over innovative transit, we need to fund public transportation that delivers real choices.

Public transportation doesn't have to mean gigantic investments in infrastructure. Shuttle buses can ease the growing parking problem at commuter rail stations. Bus Rapid Transit — buses that operate in dedicated lanes, bypassing traffic — can be as quick as a subway train, but are much cheaper to deploy.

Buses can be pleasant, too. Google provides shuttle buses for its employees with leather seats and wireless Internet access. New York City's new Select Bus Service has traffic-signal priority that boosts rush-hour service up to 20 percent.

Cities need the resources to try innovative ideas like these. It's time to reinvent our country's transit system to make public transportation accessible to everyone.

How would you rather get to the beach this holiday weekend — speedy and effortless Bus Rapid Transit, or creeping along bumper to bumper watching your fuel tank (and wallet) getting emptier?