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Rachael's group - WCGTFH
5/25/10 MAST Forum
Facilitator: Rachael Weyand
Notes: Molly McLaughlin
Group: Vi Hayherst, Michel Joncas, Paul Niehoff, Patrick Banks, Andy Colvin
Vision Statement:
How do you feel, is it comprehensive and detailed enough, how to strengthen to include all modes?
Add “economical” to healthy, livable, and environmental.
In addition to reliable, add “predictable” re: scheduled. When you are waiting for the bus, be able to check your phone for a real-time schedule.
Transportation should be strict to schedules re: not leaving stops 5 min prior to departure time if there’s no one there.
Who is responsible for advancing this vision? Citizen power. Some wording should incorporate “of the people and for the people”.
It takes everyone, not just Mainers. Instead of “Maine should offer” should be “Maine residents should have access”.
Include the words “The State of” in front of Maine as a statement of empowerment including all residents of the state.
Maine residents should have all of these options available.
All residents need choices of how they want to use transportation.
First steps to reach the vision?
Changing behavior.
Social engineering.
Civic engagement. Showing up to public forums for your voice to be heard. Otherwise difficult to cause action. Need to increase participation.
Get politicians and civil servants on the same page.
Marketing.
Maine has had trains and trolleys all across the state. The tracks are still there.
Shifting behavior and public perception. Must create incentive for the public to participate.
Facilitator: Rachael Weyand
Notes: Molly McLaughlin
Group: Vi Hayherst, Michel Joncas, Paul Niehoff, Patrick Banks, Andy Colvin
Vision Statement:
How do you feel, is it comprehensive and detailed enough, how to strengthen to include all modes?
Add “economical” to healthy, livable, and environmental.
In addition to reliable, add “predictable” re: scheduled. When you are waiting for the bus, be able to check your phone for a real-time schedule.
Transportation should be strict to schedules re: not leaving stops 5 min prior to departure time if there’s no one there.
Who is responsible for advancing this vision? Citizen power. Some wording should incorporate “of the people and for the people”.
It takes everyone, not just Mainers. Instead of “Maine should offer” should be “Maine residents should have access”.
Include the words “The State of” in front of Maine as a statement of empowerment including all residents of the state.
Maine residents should have all of these options available.
All residents need choices of how they want to use transportation.
First steps to reach the vision?
Changing behavior.
Social engineering.
Civic engagement. Showing up to public forums for your voice to be heard. Otherwise difficult to cause action. Need to increase participation.
Get politicians and civil servants on the same page.
Marketing.
Maine has had trains and trolleys all across the state. The tracks are still there.
Shifting behavior and public perception. Must create incentive for the public to participate.
Break people’s love affair with their cars.
Mapping existing walking paths.
Taking stock of what we have in place, know what’s there, so that we can think about how to reuse it and/or use it in a different way.
Mapping existing walking paths.
Taking stock of what we have in place, know what’s there, so that we can think about how to reuse it and/or use it in a different way.
Maximize what we have and allow people to realize we can do more with what we have. Make it public. Promote it. If we already have rail lines in place, how can we use them.
Cost is an issue. RR lines are OK for cargo, but must be updated if you’re going to have passengers called E-Lines. To do this it takes 1 million dollars per mile. Unk why it’s so expensive.
Raise gas tax, just like in 2008. Use goes down automatically. Put that money toward transit and infrastructure. Politicians are unwilling to talk about that.
Must bring other towns in, such as Gorham. Many people in Maine don’t have a choice but to have a car. People don’t have to live there.
Cost is an issue. RR lines are OK for cargo, but must be updated if you’re going to have passengers called E-Lines. To do this it takes 1 million dollars per mile. Unk why it’s so expensive.
Raise gas tax, just like in 2008. Use goes down automatically. Put that money toward transit and infrastructure. Politicians are unwilling to talk about that.
Must bring other towns in, such as Gorham. Many people in Maine don’t have a choice but to have a car. People don’t have to live there.
If the cost of living goes up, they will move. We need more population density, less sprawl.
Politicians must understand alternatives.
When gas goes up, some people cut money from other areas of life instead of cutting gas.
What makes people move to the outskirts of cities is cost of living, cost of housing.
Prioritization for implementation?
The least expensive and most cost effective should come first. Build from there.
Goes a long with taking inventory of what we have. Pactsblog.org: Peds plans.
Just walking. Sidewalks can be interesting at times and could be a challenge.
Behavior, social engineering, awareness, and marketing are key. We build all kinds of infrastructure, people don’t know it’s there, and don’t know how to use it. Let people know what is being done and why. It’s economics, livability, and quality of life.
Most amt of people have the most amt of choices. Economical choices.
Incentives are needed:
-ie Reduced toll fees for carpooling
-Raising gas tax.
Action Items:
Short-term (within the year):
Take stock of what we have, promote it, and educate people. Hold regular public events such as commute another day/week, but must be ongoing and show benefits to people.
Educational campaign on the costs of driving a car. Must address people’s resistance to letting go of their cars. Tell people how much their cars are really costing them vs other modes of transportation, how much people could reduce if they chose to reduce by just one or two days per month. Educate people on how to combine different modes on a small scale to start with. You think biking to work costs more than driving? Translate time into money for people, along with all other resources. *Opportunity cost.
Intermediate (1-5 yrs):
Trains to Brunswick, commuter trains throughout the county, busses networking to outlaying cities, expand vanpooling, carpooling.
Politicians must understand alternatives.
When gas goes up, some people cut money from other areas of life instead of cutting gas.
What makes people move to the outskirts of cities is cost of living, cost of housing.
Prioritization for implementation?
The least expensive and most cost effective should come first. Build from there.
Goes a long with taking inventory of what we have. Pactsblog.org: Peds plans.
Just walking. Sidewalks can be interesting at times and could be a challenge.
Behavior, social engineering, awareness, and marketing are key. We build all kinds of infrastructure, people don’t know it’s there, and don’t know how to use it. Let people know what is being done and why. It’s economics, livability, and quality of life.
Most amt of people have the most amt of choices. Economical choices.
Incentives are needed:
-ie Reduced toll fees for carpooling
-Raising gas tax.
Action Items:
Short-term (within the year):
Take stock of what we have, promote it, and educate people. Hold regular public events such as commute another day/week, but must be ongoing and show benefits to people.
Educational campaign on the costs of driving a car. Must address people’s resistance to letting go of their cars. Tell people how much their cars are really costing them vs other modes of transportation, how much people could reduce if they chose to reduce by just one or two days per month. Educate people on how to combine different modes on a small scale to start with. You think biking to work costs more than driving? Translate time into money for people, along with all other resources. *Opportunity cost.
Intermediate (1-5 yrs):
Trains to Brunswick, commuter trains throughout the county, busses networking to outlaying cities, expand vanpooling, carpooling.
Example of Connecticut’s system…federal funding was obtained for CT for this purpose. Alternatives to the car must be made as desirable as a car. Working to expand, strengthen, and connect all of the modes.
Long-term (5-10 yrs):
Obtaining federal funding for Maine. Funds must be focused and specific to projects with finite time frames.
Offer as much diversity w/o having to travel any distance. Economic viability. People having what they need in their own community.
Long-term (5-10 yrs):
Obtaining federal funding for Maine. Funds must be focused and specific to projects with finite time frames.
Offer as much diversity w/o having to travel any distance. Economic viability. People having what they need in their own community.
Transit, trolley, trains, UShare vehicles (per hour use). Seamless choices ie walking to biking to bussing/rail to biking to walking.
Connect bus system direct to Portland Transportation system.
Urban planning and land use to increase population density. Involve and educate smaller towns and their community planners. Coordinated efforts between local, state, and regional levels.
Connect bus system direct to Portland Transportation system.
Urban planning and land use to increase population density. Involve and educate smaller towns and their community planners. Coordinated efforts between local, state, and regional levels.
