Ocean City has always been a destination. The challenge now is making it easier to get here, move around, and get home safely.

Opinion

By Pete Madden

For too long, we have treated transportation and parking as the same issue. They are connected, but they are not the same. The reality is, we need to address both. During the summer months, parking is already stretched to its limits with seasonal demand and metered spaces across the island. Ignoring that reality is not an option.

Yes, we need to continue exploring smart ways to add and improve parking where it makes sense. But if parking is our only solution, we will always be chasing demand.

We already know that transportation works. According to city reporting on last summer’s jitney program, nearly 15,000 riders used the service, with hundreds of people on peak days choosing not to bring their cars at all. That is proof that when we provide options, people use them.

And the truth is, this is not a new idea. Ocean City was once connected by rail, bringing visitors in without the need for a car. In many ways, what we are talking about today is a modern version of that same concept. It is about bringing that connectivity back in a way that fits how people live and travel today.

Now we need to think bigger.

Ocean City is just a few miles away from other towns. Yet for many visitors and workers, there is no simple, reliable way to move between the two without getting in a car and taking up a parking space. A consistent shuttle or expanded connections between towns could bring people into Ocean City during the day, support our businesses, and reduce the number of cars competing for limited space.

This is also about safety. Our young adults and seasonal workers are already traveling between towns at night, often with expensive options that add more cars to our roads. Expanding safe, reliable nighttime transportation is a practical way to reduce impaired driving and give families peace of mind.

Transportation is also an economic issue. City reporting shows jitney riders include visitors, families, and seasonal employees commuting to work. Making it easier for them to get here without a car means more access to jobs, more customers for businesses, and less strain on our infrastructure.

Just as important, this does not have to become a burden on taxpayers. If we make a strong case, there are real opportunities for public private partnerships to help fund and operate expanded transportation. Other communities have shown that when the demand is there, these systems can succeed and even thrive with the right structure in place.

But this is not just about infrastructure. It is about culture.

We need to start building a mindset where leaving your car at home is not a sacrifice, it is the easier and smarter choice. Where visitors expect to hop on a shuttle, and residents know there are safe, reliable options to get where they need to go.

Ocean City has already taken steps in the right direction. The city operates a seasonal jitney service and senior transportation programs that reflect a clear understanding that mobility is a public need. The next step is expanding that thinking beyond seasonal service and beyond our borders.

The bottom line is simple. We need more parking, and we need better transportation. One without the other will not solve the problem.

Every person we move without a car is one less parking space we need to build. And every smart investment we make in parking should be paired with a smarter investment in how people get here in the first place.

If we get this right, we ease congestion, improve safety, support our businesses, and create a more connected region. That is how we protect what makes Ocean City special while preparing for what comes next.