As Congress develops the next transportation authorization, these six priorities should guide them.<\/p>\n
1 Establish Accountability for Responsible Investment
\nUnder the current system, most federal transportation dollars go to state departments of transportation, with
\nfew questions asked. DOTs remain largely geared toward building highways between metropolitan areas rather
\nthan providing multiple options for mobility within metropolitan areas. This is despite the fact that the United
\nStates population is highly urbanized, with 80 percent of us living in metropolitan areas and 85 percent of our
\nnation\u2019s economic activity occurring within them. The current law assigns metropolitan areas responsibility for
\ntransportation planning, but it does not give them real authority to implement those plans.
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\n2 Invest to Compete in the 21st Century
\nPoorly planned transportation investments, combined with spread-out development patterns,
\nhas forced families to spend 20 percent or more of their household budgets for transportation. Many
\nspend hours driving in congestion every day, reducing their productivity. Our heavy reliance on oil
\nleaves the nation\u2019s economy vulnerable to inevitable price shocks. The absence of high-speed rail lines
\nand sophisticated, long-distance freight systems common in other nations puts us at a competitive
\ndisadvantage. Our aging infrastructure is placing a strain on state and local budgets, often leaving
\nmetropolitan areas with few resources to remake transportation networks that can revitalize cities and
\ntowns. Without smart, strategic investments in modern transportation systems, America will be
\nsupplanted as the world\u2019s most productive economy.<\/p>\n
3 Invest for Multiple Payoffs in Solving our Energy, Air Quality, and Climate Challenges
\nOur federal transportation investments can work simultaneously to end our overwhelming reliance on
\noil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, clean up polluting ports and trucks, and help Americans save money
\nthrough these actions:<\/p>\n
4 Reward and Support Smart Local Land Use Planning
\nThe most efficient trip is the shortest \u2013 or the one you don\u2019t have to take at all. More than 60 percent
\nof the growth in driving is due not to population or economic growth, but to spread-out development.
\nOur nation can no longer afford the endless cycle of building roads, allowing them to become
\noverwhelmed by poorly planned development, and widening or building again. The federal
\ntransportation program can encourage coordinated planning between transportation facilities and
\nland use, ending the de facto subsidization of unsustainable development through these initiatives:<\/p>\n
5 Invest for Public Health and Safety
\nOur transportation system can do much more to foster human health and safety. While other countries
\nhave made strides on safety, traffic deaths in the United States hover around 43,000 people per year, with
\ndisproportionate deaths among older Americans, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Millions of Americans, and
\nparticularly those in low-income communities, face asthma and other health problems caused by pollution
\nfrom cars and trucks. Wide streets with fast traffic and no sidewalks or bike lanes discourage this physical
\nactivity, contributing to associated health effects.<\/p>\n
Local innovations in roadway design and operations have effectively reduced the rate of death and injury on
\nour streets, and should be encouraged across the country. The federal transportation program could also help
\nget Americans moving with programs to make active transportation the cornerstones of a higher quality of life.<\/p>\n
6 Find New ways to Pay for What We Need
\nFederal transportation funding has long relied almost exclusively on taxing each gallon of gas, but the
\nlimitations of this source have become clear. Congress has already propped up the Highway Trust Fund with
\ngeneral funds. The situation could get worse if the drop in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) that began in 2007
\ncontinues, draining expected revenues. Opposition to raising the tax is strong, as Americans already cope with
\nhigh transportation costs. A revenue distribution scheme that rewards the states whose population drives the
\nmost runs counter to other national goals.<\/p>\n
We need to develop new long-term revenue sources that are complementary to the nation\u2019s need for energy
\nefficiency and continue to protect our investment in our public assets. Transportation for America stands ready to
\nsupport an increase in federal transportation investments if \u2013 and only if \u2013 they are directed towards the sorts of
\npriorities and objectives outlined in this document.<\/p>\n