Western cities embracing transit

Alan Best's article in High County News (Back on Track, 11.14.2005) was a great piece on how several Western U.S cities are entering a new transportation paradigm -- one focused on livability rather that traffic mitigation, and transportation options rather than exclusive reliance on roads and highways.

This is no small feat, like all Americans, Westerners love their cars, but local business, community and elected leaders are realizing that transit has an equally important role in their future.

The only thing missing in the article (and this is probably a space constraint rather than an oversight) was a recognition of the many non-governmnetal organizations (like the Transit Alliance in Denver) that helped build the transit vision and then did education and outreach to help in implementation. As the article illustrated, elected leadership and foward thinging planners are crucial to transit success, but with out organized commuity groups and non-profit organizations that can educate, advocate, and mobilize, transit efforts are missing the third leg of the stool of success.