Who Benefits From Transit? Is Transit Worth the Huge Capital Investment?
Dr. Winston Harrington, Senior fellow, Resources for the Future, noted that in Washington, D.C., half of the work trips to downtown in rush hour are by transit. Even though this is quite extraordinary, Harrington still felt it necessary to investigate the question of whether transit is worth the huge capital investment required. Dr. Harrington described a model of travel demands based on various income levels, auto ownership, auto use and car pooling, rail and bus use, walking and biking. The model assesses the value of transit by determining the costs and benefits if transit (rail and buses) were to become totally absent. The main conclusion of the study found that “Although transit consumes a large share of the regional transportation budget, the benefits of the system are substantial,” and well worth the costs. Harrington also noted that those who live closer in to the city center benefited more. Traffic congestion is reduced in the downtown, where there was almost 100% fewer vehicl
