"Transportation isn't a binary; it's a marketplace. People weigh their options and pick what works best for them in that moment, whether that's transit, a car, a bike, or walking. I walk to get coffee because it's just a few blocks away. I drive to a concert because the bus stops running after 10 p.m. and parking is cheap. I take the train to the airport because it's frequent and parking there is expensive."
"Even my own family lives in a suburb so car-dependent that they often drive to walk - yes, read that again. When they visit me in New York, they take the train because traffic on I-95 and parking near my place is a nightmare. But at home, they've never boarded the bus that stops 250 feet from their front door."
Transportation operates like a marketplace in which people compare options and select what fits their needs at a given moment. Short trips prompt walking, late-night events lead to driving when transit service ends and parking is inexpensive, frequent rail service and high airport parking push travelers to trains, and secure bike storage plus safe paths encourage cycling. Household location and built environment shape mode choice, so car-dependent suburbs produce driving even for short walks. Affluence does not prevent transit use; many wealthier commuters choose trains because they are faster, easier, and less stressful than driving.
Read at Streetsblog
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