Another area that WakeUP Wake County advocates for is accessible transportation options. From public transit to more walkable, bikeable street planning, offering mobility options for residents creates a more equitable and environmentally stable surrounding for long term viability.
Transportation options beyond cars is a key element of sustainable development and an areas ability to thrive by:
- ECONOMIC: connecting resources, workers, businesses and customers with a sustainable, unhindered network helping to create a ecosystem of workers, customers, and community
- ENVIRONMENT: minimizing the need for car-transport minimizes the emissions an area produces – since cars are the greatest contributor to hazardous emission, reducing the need for cars creates a more sustainable environment for residents and the natural resources of an area
- SOCIAL EQUITY: car transport is an economic hindrance for many residents with the expense of purchase, titling, insurance, fuel, and maintenance reducing access for many residents. Increased transportation options also incorporates mobility options for those with physical limitations like the elderly and disabled, allowing them to access resources more easily and participate in community without limitations. In addition, health inequality for the environmental impacts of cars typically falls on children, economically disadvantaged, and elderly residents. Safe streets create options for healthier mobility like walking and biking, known to decrease long term health ramifications of less physical transportation like cars.