Annapolis Mobility

When my wife, Marlene, woke up January 6 to seven inches of snow, she pulled on boots and walked to the hardware store we own. She runs the place, she had to be there—and luckily, it’s only a mile away. But getting around Annapolis isn’t always so easy, even in great weather.

We live in a car-centric society. Sadly, transportation and passenger vehicles are the top emitters of greenhouse gases, considered the key driver of climate change. And traffic congestion keeps getting worse. What’s the solution?

My vision is to improve Annapolis mobility for the people who live and work here, and for visitors, while also reducing traffic on our streets. The city has good options in place already, such as the new Go Time On Demand Transit app (Transigo), a bus that operates something like an Uber. The city website posts bus routes and schedules; we offer electric bikes and scooters; and plans are in place for expanding our Bike Network. The city’s website also presents regional transit choices to and from Annapolis. Among my goals:

• With the help of simple web tools or apps, make it easier for people to understand transportation options, how to use them, and how to easily move from point A to point B

• Improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, and see that trails are completed

• Install better signage to help people navigate the city

• Ensure that any infrastructure built to improve transportation is environmentally friendly

Reducing reliance on cars will be tough. Careful planning for smarter growth will be critical. For example, we must remove barriers that make it hard for grocery stores and child care centers to open where people need them – and can walk to them. Getting to the safe, reliable, and convenient transportation I envision calls for research, imagination, incentives, and a willingness to experiment.

Perfection is elusive, but we can always make things better. I’m excited to start the journey.

Warm regards,

Jared

Read More