Addressing Climate Change by Expanding Transportation Choices for Rural Maine

Maine has a transportation problem. Our system of moving people and goods around the state is expensive, dangerous, and polluting, and it is increasingly clear that this system is not sustainable from an economic or environmental standpoint. This problem isn’t unique to Maine, but it is particularly acute in a rural state such as ours that has historically overinvested in car infrastructure while underinvesting in public, active, and community transportation options. Transportation is by far the most polluting sector in our state, accounting for nearly half of Maine’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing transportation emissions is “Plan A” in Maine’s climate action plan, but car traffic and associated pollution continues to increase year over year, tragically correlated with an uptick in pedestrian casualties. Transitioning to a clean transportation system does not have to be a sacrifice. In fact, it is a major opportunity to improve Maine’s connectivity while increasing safety for all users, inducing economic growth by investing in quality public transit and appealing walking and biking infrastructure, improving accessibility for people with no or limited access to a vehicle, reducing transportation costs, and minimizing environmental harm. Rural communities in Maine are constrained by system dependence on expensive, dangerous, and polluting private vehicles, but this does not have to be the case. NRCM has been working on several policies to reduce transportation sector emissions by increasing transportation options for all Mainers, which in turn will make Maine’s transportation system safer, cleaner, more accessible, and less expensive.