The goals of the Future Station Project are to:

• Provide design prototypes in locations across the state

• Inform the public about the wide range of considerations in the transition

• Encourage public investment in transportation alternatives.

• Demonstrate the value of adaptive reuse.

• Promote environmental improvements such as rainwater detention and landscape design.

• Make the most of the symbolic value of the changes to gas stations.

We need to make social justice the center of the efforts as we accelerate the transition. There is a correlation between low income and high rates of illnesses like asthma as low income neighborhoods are often places with heavier truck traffic and more air pollution. People with low incomes have the most difficult time replacing their cars and depend heavily on public transportation or ride sharing. Inequity in car ownership and access to transit makes mobility more difficult. 

Cost of environmental remediation of the underground gas storage tanks and the time it takes to complete it can be an obstacle to redevelopment of stations for other uses. Leaking tanks can pollute groundwater if they are not cleaned up. The typical small size of gas station sites increases the relative cost of remediation and limits the options for other commercial uses.

Local communities can take an inventory and assessment of existing stations for future possibilities. There are advantages to connect automobiles to other forms of transportation.

We may worry today about areas that are charging deserts with a lack of EV chargers, but there may be a time when we have gasoline deserts that would make travel more difficult for those people who can’t afford an EV or can’t charge at home. While we want to encourage the transition to electric vehicles and the environmental benefits, buying a new EV may continue to be out of reach for many people for some time. The commercial viability of gas stations will likely continue to decline, creating an uneven patchwork of stations. When the value of gas stations declines, the economic consequences to gas station owners and franchisees affects the local community.