Unburdening Transit: Transit for Local Economic Mobility (Forum)

Join us for Unburdening Transit: Transit for Local Economic Mobility, the third installment in our community forum series reimagining public transportation as a driver of shared prosperity and community resilience.

In earlier forums, we explored how transit can be a force for justice and safety, removing barriers to mobility and ensuring freedom of movement for all. Now, we turn our focus to the heart of every thriving city: local businesses. This session will illuminate how robust, accessible, and fare-free transit can benefit small merchants, stimulate foot traffic, strengthen neighborhood economies, and build more vibrant commercial corridors.

This is more than a discussion. It’s a call to envision transit not simply as mobility infrastructure, but as a circulatory system that fuels economic life in our neighborhoods.

Panelists

• Joy Soler, Revolutionary Grounds, owner
• Emma Laehn, Belle Starr, owner
• Damian Hubble, American Family Insurance, agent
• Artemis-June Torre, Tucson for Everyone, co-lead & UA Student, Urban and Regional Development
  
• Moderator: Dr. Arlie Adkins, U of A associate professor for CAPLA and College of Public Health

Who should attend

This forum is for everyone who cares about thriving local economies and equitable mobility: small business owners, neighborhood organizations, commercial improvement districts, chambers of commerce, local government staff, transit riders, planners, and community advocates. Whether you’ve felt the benefit of transit in your own business or are curious how transit policy connects to local prosperity, this event is for you.

Why it matters

• Fare-free and barrier-free transit expands the radius of how far people are willing (and able) to travel for shopping, dining, services, and work, increasing the customer pool for local businesses.

• Transit-supported foot traffic can help revitalize corridors currently underserved by car-based parking or visibility.

• When transit is reliable, frequent, and affordable, it helps reduce turnover, delays, and absenteeism in the workforce, directly benefiting local operations.

• Partnerships between transit agencies and local business groups can align incentives (e.g. coordinated event-day service, transit passes for staff, “shop & ride” campaigns).

• In challenging economic times, ensuring accessible mobility becomes a competitive advantage for districts that can attract and retain foot traffic without parking burdens.

Notes

• The event will be held in person with livestream available for those who cannot attend physically.

• Public Transit: Take the #1 (Glenn/Swan) or #4 (Speedway) directly to the intersection of Speedway & Swan. You can also take routes #3 (6th St./Wilmot) or #5 (Pima/West Speedway) for about a 1/2 mile walk/bike ride or routes #11 (Alvernon/Ajo) or #34 (Craycroft/Ft. Lowell) for about a one mile walk/bike ride.  We recommend using Transit App as your car-free planning tool.

• We encourage attendees to arrive via bike, walk, or transit.

• ADA access and an accessible restroom are on site.

• Refreshments will be available for purchase.