Capitol Hill Briefing Public Transit and the Knowledge Economy

This briefing from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute details the relationship between public transit and the growth of the knowledge economy, using Austin, Texas, as a primary case study to argue for the necessity of a new federal surface transportation authorization bill.

• Austin is experiencing rapid growth, with projections that the city and parts of Central Texas will double in size over the next 20 years, driven by an average of 150 people moving to the city daily.
• The evolving knowledge economy requires a transportation system that provides efficient access for a high-tech, creative, and talented workforce. Knowledge-intensive industries are increasingly locating near research labs, universities, and other firms to facilitate open innovation, making public transportation a critical tool for supporting job growth where highway expansion is physically limited.
• Austin faces severe traffic congestion, ranking as the 5th most congested area in North America and the 10th most congested globally, exceeding cities such as Rome, Paris, and New York City. Between July 2013 and July 2014, the average Austin driver lost nearly 43 hours to traffic, with 147,000 daily commuters losing a total of 6.2 million hours.
• To address congestion, Austin is employing an "all of the above" strategy that includes widening roads, building toll roads, adopting last-mile options like Uber and bike share, and increasing Capital Metro's investment in rail and bus frequency.
• There is a critical need for the U.S. Congress to pass a new surface transportation authorization before the MAP 21 expires on May 31, as federal spending is essential for capital and operating expenses. Nationally, it would cost $86 billion as a one-time expense to bring existing transit infrastructure into a state of good repair.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2015). Capitol Hill Briefing Public Transit and the Knowledge Economy. https://www.eesi.org/files/Linda_Watson_051315.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Capitol Hill Briefing Public Transit and the Knowledge Economy. 2015. https://www.eesi.org/files/Linda_Watson_051315.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Capitol Hill Briefing Public Transit and the Knowledge Economy |date=13 May 2015 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/Linda_Watson_051315.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2015capitol, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Capitol Hill Briefing Public Transit and the Knowledge Economy}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2015}, month = may, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/Linda_Watson_051315.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }