Editor,
I applaud your insight on the diminished role of automobiles in the lives of the younger generation (“Car Talk,” Feb.19). As a recent college graduate, I returned to Central Indiana to work in downtown Indianapolis and live in Carmel. While I am fortunate to own a car, others in my generation are not so lucky.
Many of us suffer from a mountain of student debt at a time when the job market is still reeling from the repercussions of the Great Recession. Car ownership entails high costs for both our pocketbook and the environment. Yet, Indianapolis remains car-dependent at a time when my peers and I do not wish to be.
Millennials are more interested in living in a city that offers cheap, flexible transportation without the headache of parking, traffic jams, and payment plans. With our congested roads, it’s not surprising that Indiana ranks last in the nation for retention and employment of college graduates.
To ensure future growth, Indianapolis must make itself more attractive to college graduates now. An expanded mass transit system for Hamilton and Marion counties, like the Indy Connect plan currently under consideration, is the solution my generation needs. Should we have to make another city our home just to get around?
Grace Baranowski, associate managing editor, Giving USA
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