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Transit chairs warn rural services at risk, urge multimodal integration
Summary
Public transit chairs said longstanding underfunding threatens rural transit and urged that transit be treated as core system capacity; they called for multimodal planning to reduce dependence on single-occupancy vehicles.
Transit and bicycle/pedestrian leaders argued that transit should be treated as a core component of the transportation system, especially as fuel prices and capacity pressures increase. Nikki Messenger, chair of the Southwest Area Commission and city manager for Roseburg, said maintenance and safety are inseparable and that rural transit must be funded to serve essential needs.
"Maintenance is safety," Nikki Messenger said, describing how deferred maintenance and reduced striping or shoulder repairs can translate directly into crash risk. PTAC representatives urged integrating transit into broader system planning so buses and rural shuttles are considered alongside freight and roadway investments.
