With an average commute under 20 minutes, residents of Des Moines (IA) probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about ways to mitigate urban congestion. “It’s just a no-brainer to drive when you can get about any place in the metro area in 20 minutes,” said Erin Olson-Douglas, urban planner for the city of Des Moines. “It’s kind of a catch-22. It’s hard to make the investment in transit, and until there’s a greater investment it makes it less convenient.” Nevertheless,the city is taking steps to keep its status as a livable community. These include GPS bus tracking and real time arrival information for Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority buses and — perhaps in the future — a bicycle-sharing program and a downtown electric tram system. Link to full story in Des Moines Register.
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