Editor’s note: The following is part one of a two-part series discussing the need for a better public transit system in Manchester. Part two, to be published tomorrow, will imagine what such a system might look like.
By Michael Bellefeuille
Manchester needs a better transit system. The City of Manchester, the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Manchester Transit Authority (MTA) and Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission (SNHPC) all seem to agree on this, but plans for an improved — and likely regionalized — system have remained nascent and timid for too long.
A better transit system would not only benefit those who rely on it, but also those who would choose to take it regularly or occasionally; and perhaps most importantly from a planning perspective, it would serve as an enormous economic development tool for the Greater Manchester/Merrimack Valley region.
As an intern architect and Manchester native, I have been interested in land use and development in southern New Hampshire for many years. Transit is a crucial component to land use, as it provides the means to connect various areas of a city and region, as well as informing development patterns. It’s easy to see how a poorly functioning transit system leads to a reliance on automobiles, which necessitates parking lots, wider streets and the sort of sprawl that is now widely derided. More people are choosing to live in urban, walkable neighborhoods, but only if they are well served by transit.
Manchester once boasted diverse, lively neighborhood centers where residents could shop, dine and meet at the bar, but even though most of the buildings in these areas remain intact, that sense of neighborhood centers has largely been lost. There are vibrant communities throughout the city to be sure, but they aren’t served by the same neighborhood centers as in the past. The City’s recent efforts, beginning with Rimmon Heights and recent zoning changes, as well as citizen-led initiatives are very promising, but without a better transit system to connect these nodes with each other, downtown and various other points, they will remain too isolated and auto-reliant to prosper.
Portland, Ore., streetcar
On a recent trip to the Portland, Ore., I was surprised to see how extensive and well-functioning the transit system is for a city that while much larger is not much denser than Manchester. Portland is a vibrant city full of interesting, well-connected neighborhoods and it owes much of this to its excellent public transit system, as well as other carefully conceived land use policies. It was after this trip that I began thinking about the possibilities for a vastly improved public transit system for Manchester and the surrounding area, and how this would influence development patterns and neighborhood revitalization in the city.
The MTA has done a lot with its limited resources, and the recent addition of a free,
Downtown Circulator
frequent Downtown circulator bus is an excellent start to a better transit system. Still, the system is stuck in a catch-22: it is under-funded, infrequent, and its routes often circuitous because of low ridership, but it is unable to attract elective riders for those very reasons. With so many city workers living in neighboring towns and so many regional amenities being outside the city, it is unrealistic and unfair for Manchester to bear the burden of funding, planning and running a transit system.
SNHPC is currently studying the possibility of creating a regional transit system, and they and the City understand that a vastly improved, regional transit system is crucial for future economic development and the competitiveness of the region. I suspect that a regional transit plan will likely be composed entirely of bus lines, hopefully building on and increasing the frequency of the MTA lines, with other lines extending into neighboring towns mostly to serve commuters. This would likely be supported by commuter rail connections to Boston, Nashua and Concord, and perhaps even a bus rapid transit (BRT) network, providing frequent, rapid transit from divergent points of the Greater Manchester region.
Buses—and even BRT—rarely encourage the same degree of economic development as rail transit, however, which is why many cities similar to Manchester are considering streetcar (alternatively called trolley or tram) lines to anchor their bus systems. This may seem far-fetched for a city of Manchester’s size, but advanced proposals for streetcars in Stamford, New Haven and Providence, and more preliminary plans in Lowell and Portland, Me., provide evidence and models for a possible streetcar system in Manchester. The considerable cost to implement (often largely reimbursed federally) and operate such a system would be offset by enormous gains in economic development both along the streetcar route throughout the region.
I had no idea the downtown bus was Free! That is a great idea but if know ones knows then your missing the point. Heck it took me quite a while to even figure out that thing with the beautiful bus wrap was even a public bus. I really had no idea that it was a city bus never mind that it was free! Someone really needs to think before they spend money and design these things, In this case you can’t see that it has seats, you can’t really tell what the route is and you had no idea that best of all it’s FREE! why on earth didn’t they use the bus wrap to communicate those things?
I do not know why, but buses are usually not taken by the mass. For instance, in Boston, I NEVER bored a bus, however I ride the subway all the time. I think it is the same in Manchester. People do not ride the bus, but if a trolley or some sort of rail was there, I could see people using it more often. I do not know why this is, but I see it everywhere. MVRT and in Boston with the MBTA. Buses may have a bad rep as being dirty? Or since there is no predefined rail it is hard for new comers to find out where the bus stops and where it is going (I know this is why I avoid buses) However I do ride the Boston Express frequently to get into Boston. Such a good feeling when you do not need to park.
I think that just because a city (Manchester) is small, public transportation should not be avoided, however there is less need for it. But the benefits the city and surrounding communities will get from a well established transit system (IMO preferably some sort of rail or tram/trolley) is great no matter the size given the system upkeep can be funded.
Joshua,
I wonder how many others are unaware of the Downtown Circulator bus being free, or even a public bus. I’m sure there’s a good reason for it being different, but I feel if it was the same model of bus (or something that looked like more of a traditional bus), people would at least be more aware of it. I don’t mind the image wrapping the bus, but perhaps something like an addition sign or banner could be put on the bus at least until people are more generally aware of it. Additionally, better publicizing it (and maybe better infrastructure, like more shelters) could help. I’m sure the MTA would be interested to hear your thoughts on it in an effort to improve ridership and awareness.
Mike,
You’re completely right about bus ridership compared to tram and rail ridership. There are a lot of reasons behind this, but I think a big one is what you point out: the route is hard to define and understand, and it can be changed at any time making it more tenuous. I took the T subway and light-rail all the time in college, but it wasn’t until my third year in Boston that I took a city bus. I’m much more comfortable with them now, and they’re a great way to connect to various subway lines, but it is much more daunting to figure them out. Buses, while better than nothing, also don’t contribute to the same sort of economic return that rail does. So while buses are seen as a cheaper alternative to rail, rail can often be a better investment.
Michael B.
I agree completely, this is probably why rail is used more. But it is harder to incorporate into an already working city due to cost, and just the problem of building it. However, if one where proposed for Manchester, I feel there would be little to no controversy against the concept as I think most people living there understand it is a city, and many would welcome such a good idea. I think more ideas like this should be considered as if they were, it would eventually have a positive affect not only on ease and economy, but the environment and organization / cleanliness of a city whether it be Manchester or wherever.
Hi Will – I am just starting a project on Manchester mass transit, and came across http://www.transitionus.org. They help people organize grass-roots initatives and offer tons of tools to get started! I was thinking of organizing a “vehicle vacation week” where we get as many people to not use their cars and use the bus system as much as possible, organizing some ride shares, and creating mass walks or bike rides through the city to raise awareness. Do you have anything started? Check this page out and email me! http://transitionus.org/action/350-challenge
Pam,
Next week is Commute Green NH week. See http://www.commutegreennh.org/