Reddit users in India are venting their frustration about infuriating congestion in their communities and calling for more public transport to fix the problem. An image overlooking stand-still traffic on a major thoroughfare is one example.
Transportation infrastructure around the world over the last few centuries has been built to accommodate inefficient and expensive vehicles, otherwise known as cars and trucks, at the expense of public transportation, pedestrians, and bikers.
People around the world are contributing to activism, outreach, and online communities like r/Transportation that bemoan the way this infrastructure forces them to live and the environmental consequences of the lifestyle.
Particularly, there are communities around the world that are speaking out against highway expansion as a way to combat traffic conditions. Instead, they call for more public transportation options.
In a Reddit post from r/Hyderabad, a user has drawn attention to a highway in their community that regularly slows or stops moving entirely because of traffic.
The image shows a 10-lane highway that is full of stalled cars as far as the eye can see. The post is captioned, "Proof that widening roads won't solve traffic congestion. Only better public transport infrastructure will."
Public transportation is a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to car-centric infrastructure that has the potential to benefit the pockets, health, and environments of people all around the world.
City planner Brent Toderian references the book "Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality" by authors Melissa and Chris Bruntlett in a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he states the Dutch government invests €595 million ($647 million) on biking annually, and it results in €19 billion ($21 billion) in public healthcare savings.
Creating infrastructure that allows people to travel short distances on foot or on self-propelled transportation has led to a healthier population, saving the Dutch money and increasing life expectancy.
Consumers can also expect to live in a healthier environment if their government invests in less car-centric infrastructure. Researchers at MIT explain it best: "While cars usually carry just one or two people at a time, a bus can carry 50 or more, and a train in a large city may carry thousands."
Far less carbon pollution, fewer pollutants in the air, and a reduction in noise pollution are all results of investing in better transportation.
The Cool Down has reported on several initiatives that seek to solve congestive transportation problems. The Brightline rail project in the United States demonstrates the viability of alternative public transport, and the Department of Transportation has recently set aside significant funding that will contribute to the walkability and bikeability of American cities.
Commenters under the post generally seem to be in agreement.
One writes, "Most of those big suvs and sedans are carrying 1 or 2 people each max."
Another user writes, "That route is always extreme red with traffic," referring to the one pictured above.
Another calls for "hyper focus on walkability and public transport."
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