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To Drive or Not To Drive Public Transportation in the City Different By Dawn Sperber
Group rides along some of Santa Fe’s most gorgeous trails were a staple activity of the Summit.
within the city. The Metropolitan Planning Office, through collaboration with local bicycle advocacy groups such as the Fat Tire Society, updated their Bicycle Master Plan in April 2012. Fowler says that one of the goals of the Santa Fe Fat Tire Society is to help build a trail system that is flexibly accessible—connecting urban paved areas with dirt trails and 66 ecotrendsource.com
creating access to the mountains— for experienced and inexperienced cyclists alike, as well as other sports enthusiasts or people who just want to take a walk in nature. According to Fowler, “Getting around Santa Fe, for an experienced cyclist, is not difficult. The more we make Santa Fe friendly to alternative forms of transportation, the more accessible it will be for everyone who comes here.”
Resources Santa Fe Fat Tire Society: santafefattiresociety.org Santa Fe Bicycle Master Plan: santafempo.org/bicycle-master-plan Gallup Trails: galluptrails2010.com International Mountain Biking Association: imba.com
Kerry Sherck
S
anta Fe offers a variety of public transportation systems, including free and inexpensive shuttles, buses, trains, walking and biking paths, and shared lanes. Yet the majority of people in Santa Fe don’t use them. Some free shuttles run with only a single passenger aboard because many people don’t realize the shuttles even exist and are available for use. The city’s public transportation systems are ready for us, but until we see them as a gift, we can’t receive them. Making use of public transportation systems involves changing our habits, even in little ways to begin with, such as taking the bus for certain errands, or incorporating walking or biking into our days. However, by and large, public transportation is under-used or ignored. Most people are simply in the daily habit of driving, so that’s what they do. The New Mexico Environment Department estimates that motor vehicles account for about 17 percent of greenhouse gases produced in New Mexico. “People are too comfortable with their cars,” says Jim Nagle of North Central Regional Transit District. “There’s a general resistance to public transpor-
The New Mexico Railrunner makes commuting easy.
tation. But if you reduce so many trips per week or month or year, it benefits everyone.” As the sole passengers on an NCTRD shuttle from Santa Fe to Eldorado, John Whitbeck, member of the Transit Advisory Board, and I pass sunlit hills and busy traffic while listening to our driver Nicky’s classical music. “People in Santa Fe County voted to increase gross receipts tax for public transit, which brought in an additional $2 million, and yet we’re not even taking advantage of our investment,” says Whitbeck, speaking as a taxpayer. So even though Santa Feans gave the gift of public transportation to ourselves, we are still, as a whole, not receiving it. Among the reasons more people don’t
make use of the gift of public transportation, Whitbeck lists fear of the unknown, not acting in accordance with sustainable ideals, and the misconception that it is only a provision for lowincome individuals and families—while in reality, public transportation is a great way to participate in the broader community and be ecologically minded. The benefits and gifts of using public transit: • Being mindful in the use of resources to save money and reduce environmental damage. • Being aware of people who live or work nearby, and how our connections and conversations can make our lives richer. ecotrendsource.com 67