A broader look at transportation
In light of the newly revealed 2016 impact fee report (“Secret fee study?” June 17 ) it is ever more clear that impact fees need to increase on development, but the use of these fees should not focus only on fixing and expanding roadways. Instead of road impact fees, we should consider mobility fees to provide funding for the full transportation system: transit, bike lanes, sidewalks, trails and roadways. To meet health and climate goals we need to efficiently move people, not only cars.
Mobility fees can encourage transit-orientated development by reducing fees near established transit. Atlanta reduces fees 50 percent for developments within 1,000 feet of a bus stop. Similar measures encourage development where infrastructure already exits and discourage sprawl. Mobility fees could also enable new modes, such as bus rapid transit, which has been studied by Votran.
The U.S. Department of Transportation says that transportation is responsible for more than a quarter of carbon emissions (and roughly two-thirds of the transportation emissions are from cars, SUVs, and pickups alone). Bus transit and van pools can reduce carbon emissions by six to 10 times, compared to single-occupancy vehicles, per passenger mile. Mobility fees can also provide for additional investment in walking and bicycling infrastructure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that increasing the number of trips by bicycle and foot reduces rates of obesity and diabetes. Integrating more trips by bicycle and foot into daily routines will be key to better health. If a newly planned development doesn’t enable residents to bicycle, walk, or take transit to the grocery store, perhaps the development isn’t in the right place.
Mobility fees would reflect this.
Jason Aufdenberg, Daytona Beach
— Aufdenberg is a member of the River To Sea Transportation Planning Organization’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
Breaking the law
I read all the sob stories about the poor illegals facing deportation. Let’s talk about the American citizens who can’t afford their medication, eat dog food, freeze to death in the winter, and die in the summer due to the excessive heat. It seems like all the Democratic-leaning papers want to tell the sad stories about the illegals facing deportation. Many have court orders to be removed, or have criminal offenses in their records.
They are illegal, and breaking the law. Let’s not forget that.
It seems that the politicians want to pick and choose which laws to follow. Time to stop the sob stories and remove the illegals. There is a right way to come to America, they didn’t choose that route. Suffer the consequences of your choices.
Dennis Talbot, Palm Coast
Face consequences
An American citizen breaks the law or commits a crime.
They suffer the consequences of their behavior or decisions.
A potential consequence is separation from their children or families.
Why would someone argue that an undocumented immigrant breaking our laws should be exempt from those same consequences? It’s totally illogical.
Michael J. Corbett, Daytona Beach