Here’s a template op-ed on the Transportation for America coalition’s
\nconcerns about the shaping of the stimulus bill. This is a VERY
\ncritical moment in the debate. We think Congress should:\n<\/p>\n
\nConduct the discussions about what gets funded in the open: All states
\nshould make public what they are proposing. They should get no blank
\nchecks, but should be accountable toward national priorities. Those
\nnational priorities should include longterm benefits to the economy,
\nsafety, reduced oil dependence and carbon emissions. We should fix
\nwhat we have before we build new highways.
\n
…
\nThis is possible if the economic stimulus package the President-elect
\nis expected to sign on day one includes a $100 billion investment to:
\n
? Repair and preserve highways, bridges and existing public
\ntransportation service, and support the green jobs associated with
\nthis work;<\/p>\n
? Build modern rail and rapid bus lines and upgrade all forms of
\nservice in cities large and small;<\/p>\n
? Develop high-speed and other forms of inter-city rail; and<\/p>\n
? Make streets safe for walking and biking.
\n
…
\nWhile repairing existing roads and bridges is a necessary expenditure,
\ngiven that the national highway system has been built, federal
\nresources and attention must go toward supporting the cleanest forms
\nof transportation ? public transit, high speed rail, walking and
\nbiking. The Transportation for America Campaign has identified more
\nthan 65 such ready-to-go projects within the next year, requiring over
\n$17B in funding to get going.
\n
…\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n[The full article]<\/em>\n<\/p>\n \nObama, Congress Must Back Up Rhetoric on Recovery\n<\/p>\n \nLast week President-elect Barack Obama made a promise to the American \n“We won’t just throw money at the problem. We’l l measure progress by \nAs to how to achieve this progress, the President-elect proposed to \nWhile the new President is clearly eager to chart a bold and new \nMembers of Congress are already hard at work writing the stimulus \nMissouri DOT?s wish list, one of the few made public, includes an eye- \nCongress is proposing to distribute stimulus money for infrastructure \nIf American tax dollars are spent the right way, we should get a three- \nThis is possible if the economic stimulus package the President-elect \n? Build modern rail and rapid bus lines and upgrade all forms of \n? Develop high-speed and other forms of inter-city rail; and\n<\/p>\n \n? Make streets safe for walking and biking.\n<\/p>\n \n \nWhile repairing existing roads and bridges is a necessary expenditure, \nGiven that the stimulus is meant to fund only re ady-to-go projects, \nU.S. Senator Harry Reid said earlier this month that the stimulus can \nThat change is possible, but only if we put action behind rhetoric. David Goldberg oldId.2008121609150839<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Here’s a template op-ed on the Transportation for America coalition’s concerns about the shaping of the stimulus bill. This is a VERY critical moment in the debate. We think Congress should: Conduct the discussions about what gets funded in the open: All states should make public what they are proposing. They should get no blank … <\/p>\n
\npeople and issued a charge to his incoming Administration and the next
\nCongress:\n<\/p>\n
\nthe reforms we make and the results we achieve ? by the jobs we
\ncreate, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive
\nin the world.” Dec. 6 Radio Address\n<\/p>\n
\n?create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment
\nin our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal
\nhighway system in the 1950s.?\n<\/p>\n
\ncourse to rebuild our economy from day one ? and the new Democratic-
\ncontrolled Congress should be poised to follow his lead ? rhetoric
\nalone will not be enough.\n<\/p>\n
\npackage, reviewing transportation projects and infrastructure requests
\nfrom states. Disturbingly, though, this is being done behind closed
\ndo ors, and only a handful of states have made their wish lists public.
\nThose that have are less than encouraging, focusing overwhelmingly on
\nrepaving, or worse, expanding highways in an era when people are
\ndriving less and transit is seeing surging demand.\n<\/p>\n
\npopping $800 million worth of projects, 95 percent highway projects.
\nThis has next to nothing for St. Louis or Kansas City, population
\ncenters that surely need more than just highways. Arizona DOT?s list
\nisn?t much better, with less than ten percent of money going to public
\ntransportation.\n<\/p>\n
\nprojects without requiring the usual local match, meaning that federal
\ntaxpayers will pick up the full tab. Given that reality, Congress must
\nrequire transportation agencies to select projects that meet national
\ngoals for the future, rather than merely build yesterday?s highway
\nprojects.\n<\/p>\n
\nfor-one-return on our investment: a revitalized economy well
\npositioned for long-term prosperity; less dependence on oil; and a
\nreduction in climate-damaging emissions.\n<\/p>\n
\nis expected to sign on day one includes a $100 billion investment to:
\n? Repair and preserve highways, bridges and existing public
\ntransportation service, and support the green jobs associated with
\nthis work;\n<\/p>\n
\nservice in cities large and small;\n<\/p>\n
\nSuch investment will not only move America closer to fulfilling
\nObama?s vision for a bold, green recovery that will create jobs,
\nreduce our oil consumption, and help America compete and thrive. It
\nalso will provide a down payment on a 21st Century transportation
\nmission to build the second half of America?s transportation network,
\ncompleting the system that began with the national highway system.\n<\/p>\n
\ngiven that the national highway system has been built, federal
\nresources and attention must go toward supporting the cleanest forms
\nof transportation ? public transit, high speed rail, walking and
\nbiking. The Transportation for America Campaign has identified more
\nthan 65 such ready-to-go projects within the next year, requiring over
\n$17B in funding to get going.\n<\/p>\n
\nstates, transit agencies and metropolitan areas should quickly turn
\naround a specific list of which projects will be funded, in an
\naccessible and transparent manner. Tracking systems should also be
\ninstituted to provide the public with indicators on the number of jobs
\ncreated, cost-effectiveness, carbon emissions, fuel use and demand
\nforecasting.\n<\/p>\n
\nallow us to ?abandon the baby steps and embrace some great leaps
\nforward? on energy, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added that the
\nrecovery is ?about innovation and about the future, about building the
\njobs of the 21st century.?\n<\/p>\n
\nAnd if we fail, Americans will not see the change the next Congress
\nand Administration were elected on; rather, they will see more of the
\nsame.\n<\/p>\n
\n
Communications Director
\n
Transportation for America
\n
www.T4America.org\n<\/p>\n