khc hacks presentation

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History of Poverty in Arlington

• Arlington Texas is mainly comprised of low-salary service jobs, which draws the poverty line pretty low
• Out of about 330,000 people about 52,975 are below the poverty line
• If a 93% increase in public transit access to jobs requiring an associate degree or less would result in about 43 newly accessible jobs. If 10% share of those newly accessible jobs would go to people living below poverty this strategy would reduce the poverty gap by $134K

Poverty in the US and its relationship to public transportation

• Public transit holds the capability to reduce social and economic inequalities by enhancing mobility for residents, many of whom lack cars and need assistance in finding jobs outside their primary residence area.
• Public transit lowers household expenses, as it frees up income for other uses
• In 2000, transportation costs accounted for 36 cents out of every dollar spent in the poorest fifth of American households, 98 percent of which was spent on purchasing, operating, and maintaining their cars.
• Reliable transit options made available to more nonurban areas, would allow more low-income households to distribute more funds to other essential expenses such as food or health

Location

• Prioritize poorer, higher-density area as well as the nearby university are
• Micromobility region (small) already planned for UTexas
• Run starting in the business/industry district around i30 east
• Stops around areas with business development, the utexas area, and at intersections in suburban/residential areas
• Priority to get down south into the i20/s collins street junction area (lots of business development)
• Investment already going to happen (“thoroughfare development plan” roads in arlington in the next 5 years), so take advantage of that funding to help create the trolleybus network

Sustainability

• it is simply more convenient to own a car:
• moderates effects of class
• reduce highway congestion - paved paradise, strong town
• trolley buses are electric and are environmentally friendly

Economics / Statistics

• 87% of public transportation connects riders to employment opportunities and local businesses
• the longer average commute time in a county lessened the chance for a low-income family to become financially secure.
• a sizable U.S. population cannot or should not drive, necessitating accessible non-automobile travel, including seniors, youths, adults unable to drive, and people without a driver’s license
• increasing access to transportation for these groups encourages connections to jobs and bolsters spending on local businesses

OUR SOLUTION:

Implementing a public transportation system that counterbalances the deleterious class based effects of car-dependent infrustructure

Counterarguments

• it is simply more convenient to own a car:
• moderates effects of class
• reduce highway congestion - paved paradise, strong town
• trolley buses are electric and are environmentally friendly
• public transport is expensive
• having a car requires down payment, insurance, maintenance
• leads to expenses of about $1,015 a month on car ownership not including parking
• the average cost of regular gas in Arlington is $2.85 and for diesel $3.90