Public transportation is a staple for a functioning, healthy society. Access to affordable public transit options are a lifeline for everyone in the community.

Owning a car is estimated to cost over $10,000 annually, per AAA. Many people simply can't afford it. In addition, driving is a task that people of differing ability levels can struggle to complete easily, if at all. We are all a serious injury or illness away from losing our ability to drive. Comprehensive public transit systems are needed to ensure that everyone has equitable access to our community.

Not only is public transport essential in lifting up community members; it offers a great return on investment. A dollar invested in public transportation brings $4 of economic development back. Robust public transportation systems provide workers with the ability to get to employment, stimulating the local economy and connecting businesses to the labor supply that makes their businesses succeed.

We need stronger investment and support from the federal, state, and local levels. Public transportation is funded across multiple levels of government, and citizens across the country need to push for strong federal and state support along with robust local planning. That planning needs to center the voices of those most in need, along with those that have been systematically ignored and left out of the process.

Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that public transit reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Public transportation is essential to stop and reverse the devastating effects of climate change.

https://lacrossetribune.com/opinion/letters/peter-gorski-public-transportation-merits-support-at-all-levels/article_78dfa384-1cc6-5080-b82d-52f7aaf222d5.html