Car Culture

Make no mistake, we love our cars.
The freedom, independence and convenience are what we expect.

We get it, we're just done prioritizing cars and parking over people.

We do a LOT of neighborhood meetings and engagements with varied groups and stakeholders.

These have been the top 2 issues at EVERY one for the past 14 years:

1: The increase in car traffic and
noise is unacceptable
2: There isn't enough parking

How do we resolve these 2 contradicting issues? We can't.

But, it does tell us that the narrative is broken and we can help fix that and find alternate solutions.

Do we want to lecture and scold people? Of course not, but once we started digging into the data, it was pretty astounding once it's all assembled and analyzed:

Let's start digging in....

There are around 4.3 million miles of paved roads in the U.S.

Assuming an average width of 24 feet (a common width for two-lane paved roads), this would translate to approximately
2,781 square miles of paved road surface area across the country.

The state of Rhode Island is around 1,212 square miles in total area, so paved roads in the U.S. would cover over 2.3 x that state's area.

The Federal Highway Administration tracks new lane-miles of roads added to the national highway system each year. In 2020, about 5,400 new lane-miles were added across the country.

OK, that seems like a lot, and it is, but we do need infrastructure and civilizations always have, so let's see what these effects of the past 90 years of this process are:

1. Increased surface runoff and flooding - Impervious surfaces from open parking lots and roads prevent rainfall from infiltrating into the soil. This leads to higher volumes of runoff flowing and transporting pollutants into waterways 2. Water pollution - Runoff from roads carries automotive pollutants like oil, gasoline, heavy metals, rubber particles and other contaminants into rivers, lakes and coastal waters.  This is becoming an incredibly important issue as more information is gained regarding microplastics and negative effects on health 3. Disruption of natural water cycle - With less ability to soak into the ground, rainwater gets shunted into stormwater systems instead of recharging groundwater aquifers through the natural percolation process. 4. Urban heat island effect - Dark paved surfaces absorb and radiate more heat than natural ground cover like vegetation, raising temperatures in urban areas. 5. Loss of habitat and biodiversity - Converting land to impervious surfaces destroys habitats for plants and animals, reducing biodiversity. Roads fragment landscapes and creating barriers, not only for animals, but for people. 6. Air pollution - Vehicle emissions concentrated along major roadways degrade air quality and human health in surrounding areas. this has been known for some time, and is becoming more and more prevalent. 7. Noise pollution - Road noise from vehicles impacts surrounding neighborhoods and animal environments. 8. Economic impacts - Increased stormwater runoff volumes require costly drainage infrastructure investments for municipalities.

OK- So there are a lot of issues that have continually been dealt with in a piecemeal fashion, but the huge issue- this creates a really poor living environment and we can and will do better. Now on to the rest....

Road Construction and Maintenance: Federal, state and local governments spend around  $220 billion per year  on road construction and maintenance according to the Congressional Budget Office. Parking Infrastructure: It's estimated that there are around  2 billion parking spaces in the U.S. Roads cover 2 Rhode Islands and now we can cover the entire state of Connecticut with parking.  The cost to construct and maintain all those parking spaces is estimated at over  $300 billion per year.  The parking industry makes about  $9 Billion annually  charging people to have their car sit somewhere. Automotive Industry: Americans spend over  $500 billion annually to purchase vehicles. Repairs, maintenance, insurance and operating costs:  $750 billion per year.  Costs of Traffic Congestion: Time and fuel wasted sitting in traffic congestion costs the U.S. around  $124 billion per year   Environmental/Health Costs: The environmental and health costs of auto emissions, accidents, and sedentary lifestyles enabled by car dependence range from  $500 billion to over $1 trillion annually   In total, direct and indirect costs related to cars, roads, parking and enablers of automobile-centric transportation in the U.S.  exceeds $2 trillion per year.   So, huge numbers and an enormous economic commitment to car culture and infrastructure in America compared to other transportation modes.   Traffic Accident Costs: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the economic cost of motor vehicle crashes is  $340 billion per year.  This includes costs for lost productivity, medical expenses, legal and court fees, insurance costs, property damage, etc.  Injuries and Deaths: In 2021, there were around  39,000 fatalities  from motor vehicle crashes in the U.S.  The estimated cost for each fatality is $11.3 million when accounting for lost earnings, medical costs, emergency services, etc.  This amounts to around  $441 billion for fatalities alone in 2021.  There were also around  4.5 million  medically consulted injuries from crashes, costing  over $70 billion.  Emergency Services: Emergency medical services for crash victims cost an estimated  $32 billion annually.  Police-reported crashes necessitate over  35 million person-hours  in emergency response per year.  Insurance Costs: - Auto insurance claims related to accidents total over $310 billion per year.  When comprehensively accounting for fatalities, injuries, property damage, emergency response costs, insurance claims and other related expenditures, the total cost of car crashes and emergencies likely exceeds  $750 billion annually in the United States  based on data from government agencies and safety organizations. This highlights the enormous economic toll, suffering and resource drain caused by the approximately  6 million police-reported vehicle crashes  that occur on U.S. roads each year. Based on the figures provided, an estimate of the total annual dollar amount spent on car culture in the United States:  Road construction and maintenance: $220 billion Parking infrastructure: $300 billion Auto industry expenditures (purchases, repairs, etc.):  $1.25 trillion  Costs of traffic congestion: $124 billion Environmental/health costs: $500 billion - $1 trillion Costs of accidents, injuries, deaths: $750 billion+  Adding these up: $2.644 trillion On the high end, if we take the upper estimate for environmental/health costs at $1 trillion, the total becomes: $3.644 trillion per year According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading causes of accidental death in the United States are: Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes kill around  38,000 people annually from car accidents and other traffic-related incidents involving motor vehicles. Cycling accidents result in around  800 deaths per year in the U.S.  The annual cost to maintain and operate an automobile in the United States can vary considerably based on the vehicle's age, make/model, driving habits, and location. However, here are some estimated average annual costs according to AAA and other sources:  Fuel Costs: - Average of around  $2,000 - $3,500 per year  based on 15,000 miles of driving and gas prices between $3 - $5 per gallon.  Maintenance/Repairs: Around $800 per year for a newer vehicle under 5 years old. $1,200 - $1,800 per year for an older vehicle over 5 years.  Insurance Costs: Average of around $1,350 per year for full coverage auto insurance policy.  Registration/Taxes/Fees: Varies by state, but figure around $700 per year on average.  Depreciation: Estimated at around $3,300 per year based on a new $35,000 vehicle over 5 years.  Financing/Opportunity Costs: If financing a new car purchase, $500 - $1,000 per year in interest. Around $3,700 per year in ownership/opportunity costs. When comprehensively accounting for fuel, maintenance, insurance, registration, depreciation, financing, and opportunity costs, the total average annual cost of owning and operating a new vehicle is estimated to be  between $8,500 - $10,500  per year according to AAA.

OK, so yeah, we can keep on going, but these numbers won't change anything if you need a car to get through your day..... Here's what we are doing: De-emphasizing parking visibility to create better environments for living and working Providing concentrated services and infill projects to eliminate as much car usage as possible  Providing alternate transportation options for short trips We are definitely making progress