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Transit and Climate Change

April 10, 2008

Deborah LipmanWashington Metropolitan Area Transit

Authority

Why is Transportation Part of the Debate?

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Greenhouse Gas Reductions & Savings

A single person using transit reduces CO2 by 10%; eliminating one car can save 30% in emissions

Average annual household savings = $6,251

The Effect of Household Action

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Replacing old refrigeratorReplacing light bulbs

2,800 Adjusting

thermostat and weatherizing your

home

4,800 Taking transit

to work (saves 20

pound per day)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Po

un

ds

of

CO

2 s

av

ed

pe

r y

ea

r

Steady Increase in Transit Use (1995 – 2006)

10.3 Billion Trips in 2007

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

U.S. Population Highway VMT Transit

The Challenge of VMT Growth

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Total Effect of Public Transportation

Availability

• Reduction in CO2 emissions - 37 million metric tonnes annually

•  VMT Reduced per Year as a Result of Public Transportation - 102.2 billion VMT

• Gallons Reduced per Year as a Result of Public Transportation - 4.2 billion

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Value of Transit in a Climate Change Strategy

• Potential for immediate household action

• Supports efficient land use patterns & general reduction in travel demand – potential to reduce the growth in VMT

• Reduces congestion and improves fuel economy

• Preserves mobility in a climate of rising fuel prices

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What Actions Can We Take?

• Promote and expand public transportation service coverage and frequency

• Protect our existing public transportation assets and service

• Recognize transit’s net benefit within any cap & trade or offset program

• Recognize that with higher energy costs, transit’s operating costs will increase

• Consider climate change in transportation planning and prioritization

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Metro Reduces CO2 Everyday• Average weekday WMATA ridership is nearly

1.2 million passenger trips– Over 750,000 Metrorail passenger trips using 830

zero emission electric powered rail cars– 470,000 Metrobus passenger trips

• WMATA takes 500,000 cars off the road each weekday

• Without WMATA, Washington D.C. would need an additional 150,000 parking spaces and the region would require an additional 1,400 highway lane miles

What Local Governments Can Do to Support Transit

• Transit Supportive Road Design– Bus only lanes– Signal prioritization– Sidewalks and bus stop access and

improvements

• Transit Supportive Land-Use – Coordinate decisionmaking– Mixed uses in transit corridors and nodes– TOD policies

Metro’s Initiatives

• Alternatively fueled buses (CNG) and Hybrids• Transit Oriented Development• Carsharing• Bike/pedestrian programs• Solar Power• Energy Audit and Conservation Measures

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