By Huy Nguyen / Herald Forum
In the North Lynnwood and South Everett communities, people are facing difficult choices about how they get around.
These choices negatively affect their time, health, and the environment overall. After researching our local transportation systems and interviewing people in my community, I learned that transportation equity is not just a policy idea. It is something that impacts real families, students, and workers every single day.
My dad drives a typical pickup truck because an electric pickup truck “would not work” for his job, the reason is because they cost too much and take too long to charge. He also pointed out how many nearby streets “don’t have sidewalks or lights,” making walking unsafe especially at night. Even if people want to help cut pollution, many simply don’t have realistic alternatives.
My friend who relies on buses faces a different struggle. He relies on buses everyday to get to school. “If I miss one bus, I’m late for everything,” he said.
Many long waits, slow routes, and stressful transfers make it hard for him to stay on schedule. He’s considering getting a car, not because he wants to but because the transit system is not a great option for his lifestyle.
Local governments and nonprofit organizations are trying to address these issues. Everett’s Climate Action Strategy aims to electrify buses and reduce vehicle miles traveled. Lynnwood is improving sidewalks and bike routes. Snohomish County is planning cleaner, healthier neighborhoods. These efforts matter. But when people still feel unsafe walking, buses still come too infrequently, and when clean vehicles remain too expensive, the programs are not meeting community needs fast enough.
We need more frequent transit service, especially in school areas and dense neighborhoods. We need more sidewalks, lighting, and bike lanes built sooner, not five or ten years from now. And we need affordable clean transportation programs so working families can easily afford them.
Transportation fairness is something everyone needs. Students, workers, older adults, and families deserve transportation options that are reliable, safe, and good for the climate. Our leaders need to hear from us and they need to act now.
Huy Nguyen lives in south Everett and attends Edmonds College.
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