On Sunday, our local daily newspaper, The Spokesman-Review, ran the following piece written by one our owners. He seems reasonably smart when we drink beer together, but we didn't know he could string together sentences one after the other that make so much sense. Read on and then make plans to hit up the Listening Tour at CV High School . . .
Car Culture Can't Rule the Road
The Washington state Senate’s statewide “Listening Tour” to gather
citizen input on our transportation system stops off in Spokane on
Wednesday, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Central Valley High
School theater.
Among the topics is the inclusion of funds for cycling, walking and
mass transit within transportation budget priorities. If you are
interested in seeing equitable treatment of cycling, walking and mass
transit, I urge you to attend and make your voice heard. Cyclists,
walkers and bus riders don’t have big-budget campaigns or organizations
to make sure we are included in the discussion, but we collectively
deserve consideration.
When the subject of bikes comes up within the context of roads, the
primary and loudest reaction is that cyclists don’t pay for roads and
therefore shouldn’t have a say in what happens. Some believe cyclists
may not even deserve space on the road, much less designated bike lanes
or other accommodations. The sentiment appears to be based on the idea
that those riding bikes must not own a car, may not have a job, don’t
contribute to the economy and certainly aren’t doing their fair share to
pay for the roads, which are, admittedly, usually designed for cars. When I get together with cyclists, however, I have a hard time
squaring this perception against reality, which is that cyclists come
from every walk of life. Many own businesses, multiple cars and homes,
and pay all sorts of taxes. Why, you might ask, is it important to note
that we are homeowners who pay taxes? Because direct taxes and fees,
such as gas taxes, license fees and road tolls, pay for only 47 percent
of the cost of streets and roads in Washington. The rest is from the
other taxes that state residents pay, including sales taxes and property
taxes (either through ownership or rental).
That means everyone in our state is contributing to the tax base
that funds 53 percent of our roads, even if we don’t own a car. This
includes some of the estimated 2 million state residents who can’t,
don’t or shouldn’t drive because they are too young, too old, too poor
or otherwise are unable to operate a vehicle. So to be fair to those who
don’t drive, whether by circumstances or choice, it is reasonable to
take these needs into account when developing budgets and
designing projects.
Besides the fundamental equity of including cyclists, walkers and
transit users, there is also an economic case. A Washington State Parks
study found that the Centennial Trail has an economic impact of $30
million per year. According to Visit Spokane, the trail is one of the
top five tourist attractions, and 53 percent of its users are visitors.
Those people pay hotel and motel taxes and help to support our retail
establishments, restaurants, theaters, museums and the jobs attached
to them. Other studies have shown that home prices are more stable near bike
trails and that businesses on streets with bike lanes show higher sales
tax revenue. Simply stated, spending money to include cyclists shows an
ongoing return on investment.
It is fair to assume that at the various stops of the Listening
Tour, the senators will hear from people supporting investment in moving
goods quickly and efficiently in large trucks. They are also likely to
hear from folks who don’t want to spend money on anything that increases
the expense of a transportation project. That is why supporters of
cycling, walking and transit need to speak up. Our transportation system should work for everyone. A system that
honors all choices is equitable and reflects the way transportation is
funded. Plus, it makes economic sense. Please take the time to make your
voice heard.
Gage Stromberg and his family own River City Brewing and he is a
partner at Powers Stromberg Pension Consulting Inc. He was a founding
board member of SpokeFest and Mobius. He regularly rides his bike to work.