Why is Public Transportation Extra Important For Colorado?
Fall is one of the best seasons to experience Colorado with the changing of the leaves, the warm days and nights to experience camping, hiking and enjoying local and national parks. In 2022, high ozone levels and pollution took away the joy of the fall season. State officials recommended that residents stay inside and avoid any activities or prolonged exposure to the atmosphere.
Colorado administrators took action to bring ozone levels down and began to curb the damage of our state’s pollution problem. The same administrators decided to encourage public transit to get cars off the road, and they launched the Zero Fare for Better Air Program, which made services from Colorado’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) and other transit services free in August. Colorado’s legislature took action and passed (Senate Bill 22-180), which grants the Department of Transportation to provide free transit during high ozone seasons through 2026.
Resulting from the success of the program and the need to respond to high ozone levels in Colorado – especially along major corridors like the Front Range – a new bill was introduced, House Bill 23-1101, to increase the flexibility of the ozone season grant program by updating the eligibility requirements of the program. It allows any eligible transit agency to designate an alternate period different from June 1 through August 31 for its “ozone season.” The bill also establishes that if a transit association or regional transportation district receives a grant less than the maximum amount allowed in a year, in the following year, it may receive the total amount plus the difference between the full amount and the amount received the prior year.
Large areas of Colorado, from the northern Front Range to Denver, experience “ozone nonattainment,” which means that ozone pollution contaminating the air we breathe exceeds federal safety standards. In the summer of 2021, Colorado recorded some of the worst air quality in the world. In Colorado, the transportation sector is the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions, and cars are the number one mode of transportation for most people. Public transportation is an excellent solution to reducing air pollution, road congestion, and greenhouse gas emissions.
High-quality and affordable public transit systems also help people find and keep jobs, conduct essential household trips (like going to the grocery store or doctor’s office), and participate in activities supporting local economies. Without access to affordable public transit, low-income residents begin to ration essential trips, which limits out-of-home activities that improves health, economic security, and mobility.
CFI conducted research to evaluate the program’s effect on improving air quality in three of the counties that adopted the program. Overall, the program has reduced NO2 pollution by more than seven percent in Denver and Jefferson Counties and about four percent in Weld County. Denver and Weld counties have a more significant proportion of Hispanic residents and a larger share of the population who live in poverty compared to the state average. Improvement in air quality means health cost savings for these communities.
CFI also surveyed 160 Coloradans using both email and some in-person surveys. Overall, travel time, reliability and cost are the significant barriers to public transit for our survey respondents. Most Coloradans rely on cars as their primary mode of transportation and most spend less than 30 minutes daily driving. Likewise, a lack of walkable and bike-able roads forces people to use cars even for short trips.
Despite these barriers, 65% of survey respondents say they would use public transit more if it were free, and this figure is higher among respondents with low and moderate incomes (those who earn under $80,000 a year). People with low and moderate incomes are also more likely to take public transportation, so expanding transit infrastructure and making it more affordable will benefit these groups most.
Every day as Coloradans are warned about fire and ozone hazards, we are reminded of the critical role of public transit in reducing our carbon footprint. Available and accessible public transport systems help reduce the number of cars on the road ultimately reducing carbon emissions and air pollution. By supporting affordable and accessible public transport, we reduce our environmental impact and contribute to building a more inclusive and connected community.
