The more eco
After living in Europe for several years, I returned to the United States for a summer visit. I was prepared to be one of a growing number of Americans who are turning to public transportation to combat the ever-increasing cost of gasoline. Even though buying gas in the United States was going to be a half-price sale for me, since I am accustomed to paying $7.50 per gallon, I arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas for my visit with an eco-friendly commitment. I was going to use public transportation or walk as much as possible. I quickly learned how impossible it would be for me to keep my commitment.
The first thing I noticed was that although the Central Arkansas Transit (CAT) bus routes are readily available on-line or in brochure form, there is a trick to catching a bus. Unlike in Europe, were there are clearly marked bus stops in all but the most rural areas, Little Rock’s bus signs are sometimes little more than a single sign posts with a small symbol marking it as a bus stop. Additionally, standing at the bus stop is not enough. Persons wanting to ride a bus are instructed to stand and wave to let the driver know that you want to ride. Learning how the public transit system functions is part of keeping a commitment to be eco-friendly. However, the sometimes obscure procedures and bus stops make it necessary to ask for special assistance from CAT or from an initiated rider.
The second reason more people do not use the CAT system is that the routes offered are pitifully small compared to more integrated public transport systems. In most places in Europe, the public transportation system is designed to move people to within walking distance of most established areas. Some new construction areas must wait for public transportation routes to be extended to them. There is simply not enough public transportation coverage to make it a viable option for most people.
Basic city infrastructure does not facilitate eco-friendly alternatives. During the summer, I had a visitor from Europe join me. As we walked to a nearby shopping center, I was asked repeatedly about where the sidewalks and crossing zones were. Outside of densely populated down-town areas, these basic necessities for car-less travel do not exist. Additionally, biking is illegal on some roads and too dangerous on others. The few bike routes which do exist are mainly for recreation. They are so isolated that many users have to drive a car out to an area just to ride a bike!
