Maine's poor transportation systems

Cole Cochrane, Portland Press Herald -Transportation in Maine is riddled with numerous accessibility issues. A recent report, of which I am a co-author, put these challenges into actual numbers, which exemplifies the striking gap in access. First, approximately 90,000 Maine adults lack a driver’s license. Many are in their 20s, a critical age for accessing employment and educational opportunities. Second, 52,000 Mainers live in households where the number of workers exceeds the number of vehicles. With few alternatives available, this is as good as unreliable.

However, one of the most shocking figures is that 3 in 5 Maine adults experience transportation insecurity. This includes people who find their transportation unreliable, inaccessible and unaffordable.

The findings in the Public Transit Advisory Council report confirm we have a broken transportation system. This is a direct result of failed policy perpetuated by the governor’s administration. Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner Bruce Van Note has made decisions that weaken transportation alternatives and push forward expensive and disastrous projects.