On a long journey? Try a bike
Given the overwhelming scope of the problem — the clogged arteries of Connecticut’s transportation system — considering the notion of bike-sharing may seem like the tiniest of baby steps. But in the words of ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
So we support the initiative of the Greater Bridgeport Transit and the Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments researching the idea for application in the Greater Bridgeport area.
And we see no reason why the idea isn’t worthwhile for many state communities, particularly those around urban centers.
Many of them already have a start.
New Haven, as of last February, already has some 30 bike-share docks scattered about the central city, Hartford started a small system in June, and Norwalk is expected to start a system next year.
No one step is going to resolve the seemingly intractable problem of Connecticut’s crowded and crumbling transportation system.
It’s going to take projects large and small — over years if not decades — to gradually change not only the physical infrastructure but also the automobile- centric culture of the state — and the country.
The time to start is past, but now is as good a time as any to get moving, so to speak, in ways that don’t involve cars.
Planners from GBT and the COG intend to gather information from the public through an online survey — available at the GBT website, www.gogbt.com — and with printed forms that will be distributed at events through the fall, like farmers’ markets and fairs.
Some 65 cities across the country have a form of bikesharing program.
The newest versions of these systems use GPS tracking technology, apps and a stored payment system, like those used by Uber and Lyft.
The idea, of course, is to make using the system as easy as possible to encourage ridership and keep people from getting behind the wheels of their cars.
Young people who are gravitating toward cities in Connecticut and around the country do not want the costs and aggravations that can come with car own- ership.
They want to be within walking distance — or bicycling distance — of the necessities of life, including trains and other forms of mass transit that can deliver them to and from their workplaces. Bikes are probably not workable as a reliable commuter carrier.
But in many circumstances, depending on the fee structure, a bicycle is still going to be a lot cheaper than transit or car rental. And we haven’t mentioned the health and lifestyle benefits.
What bike-sharing would help eliminate in local vehicle congestion — not to mention pollution — make them a contributing factor in the enormous work that lies ahead for Connecticut’s next governor and, frankly, for his successors.
So we encourage the agencies that are working on this in the Greater Bridgeport area and encourage other communities to check it out.
We’re all in for a long journey, and this is a good step.
It’s going to take projects large and small — over years if not decades — to gradually change not only the physical infrastructure but also the automobile-centric culture of the state — and the country.