As Sound Transit plans a $50 billion expansion of mass transit in the next 25 years, small business owners need to get involved in the planning process. Why is transit policy important to the small business owner?
First, as our region experiences rapid growth, traffic and congestion can make your brick-and-mortar locations less accessible. Your customers may choose to shop, dine or find services closer to home, sparing themselves the aggravation of gridlock.
If your competition is located closer to a new light rail station or accessible by rapid bus lanes, you may lose current and future customers. If you are considering opening new branches, understanding transportation infrastructure is vital.
Second, your next generation of customers increasingly relies on public transportation. Millennials view mass transit as a preferred option to driving, not as the mode of last resort. A recent in-depth survey by the American Public Transit Association found that the younger generation views public transit as more affordable and better for the environment than driving a personal car.
The study also showed a trend of millennials choosing mixed-mode transportation, such as combining mass transit with ride-sharing or car-sharing services, in lieu of personal vehicle ownership. In the past, easy parking was a draw for most customers, but depending on your business model you may need to increase your accessibility to transit.
Third, while in the long run transit improvement drive economic growth, short-term local disruptions during construction poses risks to single-location enterprises. If your business is located in a future construction zone, forward planning for lost revenues and cash flow are essential.
Additionally, re-developed areas may offer fewer parking spaces, re-routed streets and other general improvements that may end up negatively affecting your business locations. Planning for these impacts early allows for long-term sustainable business success.
A detailed draft plan has been published at www.soundtransit3.org. You can access detailed descriptions with station locations, construction impacts on streets, cost projections and time lines. The plan is in draft form and will be put to voters in the November election. Already there is debate around whether transit or highway investments are the way to go, concerns about costs, and those who think the plan is way to slow to reach already growing communities in the region.
Time remains to make your voice heard. In addition to working with your elected representatives, there are ways to directly share concerns with Sound Transit. An online survey of the draft plan is available and an in-person Town Hall meeting in Everett on April 25 at Everett Station.
Most importantly, understand how changes in our regional transit infrastructure will affect your bottom line, and start planning now.
Ryan Davis is dean of Business and Applied Technology at Everett Community College.
Correction: An earlier version of this column gave an incorrect figure for the cost of Sound Transit 3’s expansion of link light rail. The project cost is $50 billion.
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