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The Footnote that says it all

    This image is excerpted from the presentation deck the Interstate Bridge project team presented to the Executive Steering Group on April 21st:

    Mode share graphic from IBR project team with footnote indicating that peak hour transit demand cannot be served by design, so those trips will move to cars

    Here’s the critical footnote:

    Transit demand exceeds peak 1-hour capacity on all modes of transit crossing the river. The mode share numbers shown assumes excess peak 1-hour demand cannot be accommodated and therefore has been shifted back to the auto mode.

    English translation: we’re not building enough bus and train capacity to move all the people who would like to use transit during the evening rush hour, so we’re going to make sure they have space on the bridge to drive home.

    So where is the constraint? In this project? Or elsewhere in the transit system(s)? Inquiring minds want to know!

    Our alliance believes meeting current and future transit demand is essential to the success of the bridge replacement program, and we must be working to maximize transit investments. In the long run, not only will this reduce the bridge’s climate impact, but will also reduce congestion in the corridor too.