Truly the "cheapest" way to improve access to quality for transit to people is to build more stuff where there is transit. Some places we don't because of basic nimbyism. Some places we don't because of the conflict between park-n-ride lots and TOD. Some places we don't because limiting the supply of housing in desirable areas keeps housing prices of existing houses high.
As I've written before, I think concerns about the negative impact of urban gentrification are often overstated, but the one concern I do have is if poor people are increasingly pushed out of areas with decent transit access. Hasn't yet happened here in the urban hellhole, but in another 20 years?
