Bill Overview
Title: Resilient Transit Act of 2022
Description: This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to provide grants to assist states and local governments in financing public transportation resilience improvement projects that increase the resilience of public transportation systems from the impacts of changing conditions, such as sea level rise, flooding, wildfires, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters.
Sponsors: Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
Target Audience
Population: People reliant on public transportation in areas vulnerable to natural disasters
Estimated Size: 70000000
- The bill targets public transportation systems, which are used by a significant portion of the population globally.
- Natural disasters like sea level rise, flooding, wildfires, and extreme weather events have a global impact, affecting millions of people who rely on public transportation.
- The focus on resilience improvement projects suggests a broad applicability to diverse geographical areas with varying vulnerabilities to natural disasters.
- Improving resilience in public transportation systems directly impacts commuters, individuals with limited transportation options, and communities dependent on public transport for daily activities.
Reasoning
- We've targeted a diverse set of individuals who rely on public transportation and who live in areas vulnerable to natural disasters, which reflects the diversity of impact expected from the policy.
- We expect that individuals in cities with high public transportation usage and those living in areas at risk from sea-level rise or frequent flooding will be more impacted by this policy.
- The policy is intended to improve resilience in public transport systems, which will primarily affect those who regularly use public transport.
- Our interviews focus on individuals from diverse backgrounds, occupations, and geographical areas to provide a broad view of the potential impact on well-being.
- The policy may not have immediate maximum impact on everyone's current well-being scores, as infrastructure projects take time to implement and cultural shifts towards more resilient systems may unfold gradually.
Simulated Interviews
Office Worker (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The Resilient Transit Act sounds very promising, especially with the increasing threat of flooding in my area.
- I have faced delays and disruptions during heavy rain, and improving the system's resilience would definitely make my commute more reliable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
IT Professional (Houston, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've experienced disruptions during hurricane warnings and having a more resilient transit system would provide peace of mind.
- This policy could potentially reduce the stress of commuting during bad weather.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Artist (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 53 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm always worried about Earthquake impacts on public transportation.
- Knowing this policy exists helps, but will it cover seismic readiness?
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Teacher (Miami, FL)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Flooding has often disrupted school buses and making public transport more resilient would help my work.
- I am cautiously optimistic about this program's potential impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
University Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's hard to get around during wildfire season when the air quality and transportation are affected.
- If they improve air systems in public transportation, that would be a huge relief.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (New Orleans, LA)
Age: 67 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I remember the chaos after Katrina, and I worry about transportation being functional in future similar events.
- I hope this act prevents another disaster scenario making it impossible to evacuate safely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 3 |
Retail Worker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Breaking down in the middle of a snowstorm is stressful, and better resilience would improve my working days significantly during winter.
- Ensuring that transport isn't easily disrupted will help many in my field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Healthcare Worker (Boston, MA)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ensuring reliable transit even in harsh conditions would be crucial for my job.
- The Act could mean the difference between making it to work on treacherous nights or not.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 3 |
Part-time Worker (Seattle, WA)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better rain management on buses and shelters would really improve my quality of life.
- The policy seems like it would directly benefit many in my city.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Construction Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Hot days make using public transport uncomfortable.
- If they include climate control improvements, it would change how often I use it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $3000000000 (Low: $2500000000, High: $3500000000)
Year 2: $3075000000 (Low: $2575000000, High: $3575000000)
Year 3: $3150000000 (Low: $2650000000, High: $3650000000)
Year 5: $3300000000 (Low: $2800000000, High: $3800000000)
Year 10: $3600000000 (Low: $3100000000, High: $4100000000)
Year 100: $5000000000 (Low: $4500000000, High: $5500000000)
Key Considerations
- Ensuring consistent funding levels and project management is crucial to address long-term resilience needs.
- Coordination with local governments is essential to address specific regional vulnerabilities effectively.
- Monitoring and evaluation processes should be implemented to assess project outcomes and improve ongoing resilience efforts.
- Balancing short-term costs with long-term savings is essential to justify the expenditure.