All posts from the month of May 2009
Breaking Down the Blueprint: Improving public health and safety with a 21st Century transportation program
May 22, 2009By Andrew Bielak
 |
Earlier this week, we talked with you about Transportation for America’s national objective for a healthier, safer transportation system, and showed you the performance targets needed to measure our progress towards these goals.
Today, we’d like to talk about just how we hope to reach these goals through some of the policies and reforms that we propose in our Blueprint.
As some of you probably know, trying to understand federal transportation, and the programs, funding mechanisms, and institutional structures behind it, is no day at the beach — these policy details are complex, confusing, and sometimes, pretty boring. In an effort to create a more coherent national vision for our transportation system, T4 America has drafted a simple and clear set of targets and programs in our Blueprint, which we believe can serve as a more accessible guide for the future of transportation policy.
While the programs throughout the entire Blueprint encourage and incentivize investment in safer roads for all users, more walkable, bikeable communities, and cleaner air, we thought we’d focus here on a couple policies and priorities that exemplify our commitment to improving safety and public health.
(Continue Reading)
Daily Headlines — 05/22/09
May 22, 2009By Andrew Bielak
- Transportation secretary Ray LaHood responds to criticism from columnist George Will during his appearance at the National Press Club. (Streetsblog)
- Community opposition kills a planned highway expansion in Los Angeles. (Los Angeles Times)
- The American Lung Association looks at the country’s most polluted cities. (City Mayors)
Daily Headlines — 05/21/09
May 21, 2009By Andrew Bielak
- Cities across the world continue their astronomical growth rate. (New York Times)
- Along with the drop in driving, U.S. carbon emissions see their sharpest drop in more than 25 years. (Washington Post)
- Memorial Day driving levels are expected to rise over last year. (New York Times)
Breaking Down the Blueprint: T4′s Objective for Improved Public Health and Safety
May 20, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
 |
When we think about our daily commutes to work, walks to the grocery store, or bus rides our kids take to school, there are few things more important than making sure these activities keep us healthy and safe.
After all, the numbers related to these issues are simply staggering — more than 37,000 people killed on our roads in 2008, between $40 and $60 billion in annual health care costs from negative air quality associated with transportation, more than 16 percent of children, and 66 percent of adults, considered overweight or obese due in large part due to a lack of physical activity.
Transportation for America believes that a renewed transportation system must Ensure Safety for All Transportation Users and Improve Public Health Outcomes — a goal that will require some critical changes in the way we approach transportation policy. For that reason, we’ve made it one of six top-line objectives in our Blueprint.
(Continue Reading)
Congresswoman Doris Matsui pushes forward on the transportation-climate connection
May 20, 2009By Andrew Bielak
We’ve talked to you before about the climate legislation currently being debated in Congress, and the efforts of Congresswoman Doris Matsui of California to include a specific provision that would align infrastructure and land use planning with greenhouse gas reduction goals to preserve resources and fight climate change.
In recent marathon sessions — that’s right, they run up to 14 hours — members of the Energy and Commerce Committee in the U.S. House have been working in overdrive on the legislation, known as “The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.” Thankfully, the issues of providing better transportation options and promoting smart development have found a true champion in Congresswoman Matsui.
In yesterday’s hearing, Congresswoman Matsui had the opportunity to state her case for her Smart Planning for Smart Growth Act (H.R. 1780), and successfully garnered a commitment from Henry Waxman, the chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to work together on these issues. Her remarks are below:
Mr. Chairman, I would like to get your commitment to work together with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee going forward to address all aspects of Section 222…from modeling…to development of plans…to implementation of plans…to be eligible for funding by states. States and cities will need resources to not only effectively plan…they will also need resources necessary to implement strategies like increasing transit use.
Chairman Waxman responded with a pledge to Congresswoman Matsui to continue working to fund transportation and planning activities that make our communities safer, healthier and more economically secure. You can watch the whole exchange here the Committee’s website. For Congresswoman Matsui’s statement and exchange, skip to 8:49:10.
The Smart Planning for Smart Growth Act would requires states and metropolitan planning organizations to create regional plans designed to generate emissions reductions and cost savings from the transportation sector by reducing per-capita vehicle miles traveled.
With transportation accounting for more 30 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions, we know that we must act quickly to ensure that it remains an essential part of the debate on climate. Be sure to sign a letter to your representative in Congress urging them to support a clean and efficient transportation system.
Today’s Headlines — 05/20/09
May 20, 2009By Andrew Bielak
- With fewer drivers taking to the roads, congestion in the Washington D.C. area takes a dive. (Washinton Post)
- PBS looks at the transportation systems in Portland, Denver, and New York City for its “Blueprint America” series. (New York Times)
- Mayor Bloomberg in New York City issues a “street manual” designed to be a guide for remaking the city’s roads.
- Detroit Free Press columnist Matt Helms talks bad commutes and transportation reform.
Breaking Down the Blueprint: Introducing an ongoing series on T4 America’s Route to Reform
May 19, 2009By Andrew Bielak
Last week, the Transportation for America campaign took a huge step by releasing The Route to Reform: Blueprint for a 21st Century Transportation Policy, a comprehensive, detailed set of recommendations for Congress and the Obama administration as they lay the groundwork for the upcoming transportation bill.
Since then, we’ve held a big event on Capitol Hill to highlight our proposals, influenced an important new bill being proposed in the Senate, and continued to pressure Congress to follow the Blueprint’s recommendations and craft a transformational, 21st century transportation bill.
Of course, all the work we’re doing to promote this document is probably making you ask one critical question about the Blueprint — just what does it say? While we’ve posted the Blueprint in its entirety on our website, we don’t expect everyone to comb through all 100 pages or memorize each and every idea we have for building a better system.
For that reason, we’ll be unpacking the Blueprint in the coming weeks in a continuing series of posts highlighting the vision, objectives, and program recommendations that T4 America has drafted to guide Congress as it works on the legislation to steer transportation policy in the United States. Whether you consider yourself a die hard transportation nut, or just someone who is sick of getting stuck in stop-and-go traffic each morning on the way to work, these blog posts can help you understand the key reforms that underline our vision for a brighter future.
We’ll start tomorrow morning by going over the first — and arguably, one of the most important — of our six broad objectives: the need to make our transportation system safe for everyone and beneficial for public health.
Check back tomorrow, and in the coming weeks, to get a clear sense of our solutions for creating a safer, more accessible, cheaper, and cleaner transportation system.
Today’s Headlines — 05/19/09
May 19, 2009By Andrew Bielak
- A new auto emissions regulation from the White House requires U.S. car makers to reach a fuel economy standard of 35.5 mpg by 2016. (Bloomberg)
- John Porcari, Maryland’s current DOT head and Obama’s nominee for second-in-command at US DOT, carries a solid reputation into his Senate hearing. (Washington Post)
- The Minnesota Star Tribune editorial board gets behind Transportation for America’s Blueprint.
- Columnist George Will takes a misguided swipe at Obama and Ray Lahood’s transportation policies. (Newsweek)
Bike to Work Day
May 15, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
 |
| DSC_0298 Originally uploaded by Transportation for America |
This woman breaks out a map to look for the best bike route to…well…somewhere in our nation’s capital. We didn’t get a chance to ask. From the Freedom Plaza pit stop for D.C’s Bike To Work Day this morning. Check out the whole set of photos here.
Do you have some great pictures from the Bike To Work Day in your area? Send them to the Transportation for America Flickr group. We’d especially love to see some pictures that make biking look like anyone can do it. Suits and dresses on bikes? Check.
Transportation for America Applauds Senate’s Release Of National Transportation Objectives
May 15, 2009By Transportation for America
| CONTACT: Cosabeth Bullock 202-478-6128 cbullock@mrss.com |
For Immediate Release:
May 14, 2009
WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. John D. (Jay) Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced legislation that lays out clear objectives for the upcoming national transportation bill, designed to meet the economic, energy, environmental, and social-demographic challenges of the future.
As Congress prepares to debate a six-year authorization bill — the current one expires Sep. 30 — the Rockefeller-Lautenberg measure highlights a growing consensus among legislators and the public that a continuation of the status quo will not do. The bill articulates a bold new vision for our transportation policy that addresses the 21st century needs of our economy, energy, our climate and our health. In introducing this bill before the debate over allocating transportation funds commences, the senators are acknowledging that Americans want to see a vision for what the transportation bill will achieve before they will be willing to spend more money.
Transportation for America applauds the measure’s aggressive performance targets, including goals to increase system safety, repair and maintain our existing networks, and reduce national surface transportation-generated carbon dioxide. Setting such concrete goals is a bold departure from current practice, whereby transportation agencies receive what amounts to a blank check, without being asked to account for achieving national objectives.
-
- Oppose House bill that slashes public transit funding, falls short on repair and axes bike & pedestrian safety
February 7, 2012 - T4 coalition announces opposition to House energy and transportation bill
February 6, 2012 - House committee ignores broad opposition, decimates transit funding anyway
February 3, 2012 - Massive letter opposing House leadership attack on transit sent to Capitol Hill
February 3, 2012 - House leadership making unprecedented assault on public transit
February 2, 2012
- Oppose House bill that slashes public transit funding, falls short on repair and axes bike & pedestrian safety
Connect with T4 America
Interactive Features and Reports
T4 America on Twitter
