All posts from the month of October 2008
Today’s Headlines — 10/17/08
October 17, 2008By Andrew Bielak
- The Maryland Transit Administration responds to the economic downturn by making some major cutbacks on its bus and rail service. (Washington Post)
- Oil prices fall to a 14-month low, below $70 a barrel, as Americans continue to ride public transportation and conserve fuel. (New York Times)
- Infrastructure, investment, and economic recovery are the topics of the day at Transportation for America’s “Build for America” event in New York City. (NY1)
- President Bush signs the Rail Safety Improvement Act and provides Amtrak with more than $12 billion in funding. (Los Angeles Times)
- The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials pushes for investment in “ready to go” infrastructure projects. (Marketwatch)
Backers push bullet-train measure as a dramatic change in California transportation
October 16, 2008By Andrew Bielak
A measure set to appear on California’s November 4 ballot could pave the way for the construction of a high-speed rail line — and help to link the state’s big cities, foster job growth, and attack climate change and oil dependence. (Eric Bailey — Los Angeles Times)
Build For America plan released nationwide
October 16, 2008By Transportation for America
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION COALITION RELEASES FIVE POINT PLAN FOR STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY
At events across the U.S., calls for presidential candidates and Congress to build our way out of economic peril and into the 21st Century
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Build for America (pdf) |
Washington, D.C. — Oct.15, 2008 – Today, on the heels of the Wall Street bailout and hours before the final presidential debate, policymakers, community and business leaders, activists and citizens gathered in six cities across the country to call on the next President and Congress to strengthen our economy by building a 21st Century transportation system.
The events highlighted “Build for America: A Five-Point Plan to Get Our Economy Moving,” a bold agenda that has the potential to create millions of good, green jobs, save Americans thousands of dollars per year, and reduce America’s dependence on oil once and for all. “Build for America” was created by the Transportation for America campaign, a diverse coalition of national and local organizations — from environmental and climate control to affordable housing and public health — that has come together in part to promote smart infrastructure investment as a way to sustain economic health.
“Americans are running on empty, with falling home values, rising gas prices, and a lagging economy,” said Shelley Poticha, co-chair of Transportation For America and president and CEO of Reconnecting America. “We’re here to say that we can start building a way out of this mess with a wise investment strategy.”
The U.S. already spends $70 billion a year on transportation infrastructure, and many are calling on Congress to do what has been done in every recent recession and invest still more to simulate economic recovery. However, simply using that money to build highway projects conceived in the last century is unlikely to help, Transportation for America warned.
Build for America calls for investment in public transit, high-speed and intercity rail, neighborhoods that are less car-dependent, more walkable and more affordable, and restoring the thousands of roads and bridges in failing condition across the United States. Specifically, Transportation for America and its supporters are asking the next President and Congress to work together to:
- BUILD TO COMPETE with China and Europe, by modernizing and expanding our rail and transit networks to reduce oil dependence, connect the metro regions that are the engines of the modern economy.
- INVEST FOR A CLEAN, GREEN RECOVERY through cleaner vehicles and new fuels as well as the cleanest forms of transportation – modern public transit, walking and biking – and for energy-efficient, sustainable development.
- FIX WHAT’S BROKEN before building new roads and restore our crumbling highways, bridges and transit systems.
- STOP WASTEFUL SPENDING and re-evaluate projects currently in the pipeline to eliminate those with little economic return that could deepen our oil dependence.
- SAVE AMERICANS MONEY. Provide more travel and housing options that are affordable and efficient, while helping people to avoid high gas costs and traffic congestion. Save taxpayer dollars by asking the private developers who reap real estate rewards from new rail stations and transit lines to contribute toward that service.
“This is a bold agenda, but tough times call for bold action,” said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the Straphangers Campaign for NYPIRG and spokesperson for the New York City Build for America event. “By reaching across the aisle to implement better transportation investments across in our cities and communities and across our states, we’ll help meet the unprecedented demand for quality public transportation choices, maintain our current system, and create jobs that put Americans back to work.”
Other cities that hosted “Build for America” events today include Madison, WI, Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle, and San Francisco.
“Investing in the Build for America plan will pay off for ordinary Americans, our environment and the economy,” said Deron Lovaas, Vehicles Campaign director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “This green recovery program will put millions to work in good paying jobs building the infrastructure we need to compete and thrive in the 21st century.”
Download the complete Build for America booklet here
Press Contact: Cosabeth Bullock 202-478-6128 cbullock@mrss.com
Talking points of no return
October 16, 2008By Andrew Bielak
In their third and final presidential debate, Barack Obama and John McCain batted their plans back and forth on environmental issues like oil dependence and climate change, but didn’t offer too many new ideas. (Grist — Kate Sheppard)
The power of the consumer cartel
October 16, 2008By Andrew Bielak
An editorial in the Minneapolis Star Tribune looks at a key factor behind this fall’s downward shift in fuel prices — the changing of Americans’ consumption habits.
Metro ridership remains strong as gas prices fall
October 16, 2008By Andrew Bielak
Despite a steep drop in gas prices over the past couple months, ridership on the Los Angeles Metro has remained at record levels. (Los Angeles Times — Steve Hymon)
Priming the pump
October 16, 2008By Andrew Bielak
The Baltimore Sun endorses Congressional Democrats’ plan to jolt the economy with a second stimulus package directed towards job-creating transportation projects.
Road funds may fall by $2.6 billion over 6 years
October 16, 2008By Andrew Bielak
An economic downturn and falling gas tax revenue puts Virginia’s transportation system in a tough spot. (Associated Press — Larry O’Dell)
Governors call for new approach to transportation
October 15, 2008By Andrew Bielak
Sarah Karush of the Associated Press examined Transportation for America’s plan to rebuild our economy with smart investment in infrastructure, and found support from Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, and former Maryland Governor Parris Glendening. The entire article is printed below.
(Continue Reading)
Spending on transportation projects could help jumpstart economy, officials say
October 15, 2008By Andrew Bielak
Transportation for America’s five-point plan for building better infrastructure and invigorating our economy earns some attention in the Riverside Press Enterprise. (Dug Begley)
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- Saving a transit system and turning the tide for the future of a mid-sized city
May 15, 2012 - U.S. communities step up, hoping a strong federal commitment to infrastructure will follow
May 10, 2012 - Graphic: A closer look at the Senate MAP-21 vote by state
March 27, 2012 - Fixing the House bill: Cutting regulatory burdens and bureaucracy
March 15, 2012 - Fixing the House bill: reducing air pollution by providing more travel options
March 13, 2012
- Saving a transit system and turning the tide for the future of a mid-sized city
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