Real talk: I freaking love Shreveport, and I’m committed to holding its hand through this transition into the 21st century.

Previously, I have discussed ideas about what can and should be implemented to move Shreveport into the modern era and quite literally catch it up to the rest of the world. This gets conversations going, and certainly provides some value, if only to help me retain the sliver of sanity I cling to so dearly. This time, I wish to share with you folk some (real) updates and information.

Public Transit:
Recent developments from our local public transit authority, SporTran, have provided great cause for excitement. I joined fellow staff writer Chris Lyon for an open house on Nov. 17. We were welcomed to detailed maps, plans, and ideas about the future of our bus system. There’s a new head of operations there, General Manager Dinero’ Washington, who has been at the helm for about a year, and both Chris and I feel great about the direction he is taking. An open, progressive input forum is underway, which should lead to changes that provide for the benefit of the end user.

After speaking to Washington, Chris reports that SporTran has submitted Google Transit data a few months ago and is waiting for it to be published. Once this happens, smartphone and desktop users will be able to access bus routes and times simply by entering a destination on Google Maps and selecting the “public transit” option. Once selected, Google will provide directions to the nearest stop, which lines to board, when to transfer and then provide walking or biking directions to your final destination from the closest stop. Additionally, SportTran has revamped their mobile website and which now allows you to track busses in real time and can alert you to the arrival of a bus using live tracking devices installed on all city busses. A mobile app is also being developed and is near completion, which will bring a more native experience with similar functionality.

Lyon also learned that a contractor has been selected to build the new transit facility, which is due to open in 2016. During the construction phase, SportTran and partner company NLCOG are fielding feedback from the community to help determine new bus routes and stop locations.

According to Lyon, “General Manager Washington is a young, passionate, and tech savvy individual. He is concerned about citizens needs, and wants to take Shreveport transit into the 21st century.”

A Coalition of Coalitions:
Complete Streets is a system of fundamental policy updates. The idea is, designing streets and sidewalks for all methods of transportation, be it cars, buses, bikes, pedestrians, or wheelchairs. We are talking about a social justice issue. Every citizen has places to go, and no matter the mode, they should all have the same access. This is currently not the case in the automobile-centric society that we have created. Many organizations can get behind this idea, even if it’s not an immediate realization. I was honored to be a part of the early stages of the formation of a statewide organization that is going to fight for policy changes at the state and federal level. We all have our battles to fight, and it means a lot to have great teammates on your side.

There is an immediate need to unify our message. We are attempting to shift our cities, states, and country into a completely different way of thinking. Our current highway and street systems are designed for an “optimal” number of fatalities. Human error is inevitable, and it is accepted that if cars, bikes, and pedestrians are to share the same street, you simply have to deal with a certain number of deaths. This is unacceptable. There are ways to create a safe and useable system for all types of transport. It’s been done, and our country is way behind.

That said, I am stoked to be a part of the creation of an organization that is going to fight for this cause, it’s going to be something that you’ll be able to plug into, share with your audience, and spread the message to your city council, state representative, and so on. Because I don’t want to leave Louisiana; it’s great, and I want to make it even better.