Mobility Denied: Addressing State Legislation Prohibiting and Limiting Transit Options

Due to public misunderstanding, culture wars and other factors, some local and state governments have proposed — or enacted — measures to slow or stop progress of transit lines or prohibit rail-based transit and other tools in the mobility toolbox, such as bus-only lanes or road diets. So, how can localities and transit agencies address such challenges, reframe the conversation and control the narrative? How can transit be positioned as part of community and in a land-use context, rather than according to political binaries? These questions beg to be asked. We’ll discuss potential solutions with perspectives from around the country.

Moderator: Mehr Mukhtar, Policy Associate, Transportation for America, Washington, DC
Austin Gibble, Transit Planner/Project Manager, Stantec Consulting, Indianapolis, IN
Connor Descheemaker, Coalition Manager, Transit Forward Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Blake Johnson, Representative, Indiana General Assembly, Indianapolis, IN