While debates over the need for government expenditures and the proper role of government are as old as the nations themselves, many politicians, pundits, and citizens are united in their opinion that roads and bridges are of greater importance than public transportation. The argument offers little in the way of compelling evidence to support its claim, but there is some merit in its suggestion.

While roads and bridges are vitally important to the daily lives of citizens across our nation, especially given the economic dominance of the automobile, there are serious shortcomings to the argument that they should be the primary focus of government expenditures. America’s infrastructure is outdated and in dire need of a massive overhaul. According to a recent report by the American Society of Civil Engineers, America’s roads and bridges are in need of roughly $4.5 trillion in repairs, not to mention the $3.3 trillion (as of 2014) required to maintain them. While improving roads and bridges is certainly a necessary first step, it is by no means sufficient. Public transportation, on the other hand, offers a much better return on investment than either roads and bridges, or bridges alone. Despite having a much smaller budget, public transportation is more efficient and environmentally friendly than either roads and bridges or bridges alone. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that public transportation improves air quality, reduces carbon emissions, and saves lives. A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that public transportation saved 3,630 lives between 2005 and 2013, and prevented 210,000 injuries and 1.9 million car crashes. The report also claims that public transportation is safer overall than driving, and that public transportation is five times safer than walking or bicycling.

Public transportation is also much more efficient than either roads and bridges or bridges alone. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that public transportation saves enough money each year to pay for the entire infrastructure overhaul it calls for. Public transportation is also less damaging to the environment than either roads and bridges or bridges alone, as it uses far fewer fossil fuels, produces far less harmful emissions, and requires far less land space than either roads and bridges or bridges alone. Using public transportation instead of driving cuts down on congestion, thereby decreasing the number of accidents and fatalities on the road. Finally, public transportation allows citizens to avoid costly automobile maintenance. Buses and trains often require less maintenance than private automobiles do, and bus and rail systems are rarely stranded in traffic like automobiles are. Public transportation is also far cheaper to operate than either roads and bridges or bridges alone. According to a 2013 report by the Reason Foundation, road maintenance alone costs the US government $30 billion every year, and traffic congestion costs an estimated $116 billion a year. While these are substantial sums, they pale in comparison to the cost of public transportation.

Building and maintaining roads and bridges is expensive, but it requires far less money than public transportation does. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that a Federal investment in public transportation of $30 billion per year would go a long way towards improving America’s infrastructure, and it would not only improve America’s roads and bridges, but also improve public transportation. Additionally, Americans rely on public transportation far more heavily than they use roads and bridges. Americans drive approximately 30 billion miles each year, while Americans ride public transportation 2.5 billion miles each year, and public transportation is relied upon by 75 percent of the American people. While millions of citizens rely on roads and bridges every day, millions more rely on public transportation every day.

If the government were to divert funds away from roads and bridges and towards public transportation, it would not only improve America’s roads and bridges, it would also improve public transportation. Both private companies and local governments have taken notice. The private sector is investing heavily in public transportation. According to the American Public Transportation Association, public transportation receives 90 percent of its funding from private companies. These private companies are recognizing that investing in public transportation is more profitable than investing in roads and bridges. Large corporations such as Walmart, Wells Fargo, and Intel have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars towards improving public transportation. Similarly, many state and local governments, including the state of New York, have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars towards improving public transportation. These funds will be used to improve public transportation, not roads and bridges. Additionally, local governments are investing in public transportation. For example, the city of Chicago has committed to spending $5 billion over the next twenty years on public transportation improvements.

While roads and bridges are vitally important, it is necessary to acknowledge that they are in need of a major overhaul. This overhaul, however, cannot be accomplished without also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public transportation.