What this all means for the multi-year transportation bill is still unclear.

Regardless of the changes in political makeup or committee leadership, Congress is almost certain to be taking up a long-term bill in 2011, with the Administration set to release its proposal for a multi-year transportation early next session. Interestingly, infrastructure may be one area where we can hope for bipartisan action, Transportation for America director James Corless said in a statement today:

“Now that the election is behind us, it is time for Congress and the Administration to put partisan acrimony aside and get to work on one bill that is absolutely vital for economic recovery and long-term prosperity: the multi-year transportation authorization that has languished since expiring in September of last year.

Historically, this is one arena in which both Democrats and Republicans have been able to work together, and this time should be no different. Previous bills have been passed by divided governments under presidents Nixon, Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Clinton. Updating this bill for the 21st century would be a huge win for rural areas undergoing difficult change, for metropolitan areas in desperate need of more and better travel options and for an economy that absolutely must become more efficient in energy use and goods movement if we are to succeed globally.”

In a speech this afternoon, President Obama referenced infrastructure as an issue that can help bring the two parties together in the coming months as a Democratic President and Senate try to work together with a Republican House of Representatives to get things done.

The ultimate impact of the election on the transportation bill won’t really be known until the bill is finally taken up, but there was plenty of immediate good news for transportation in states, counties and cities across the country yesterday.

Proving once again that when the issue is made transparent, accountable and local, Americans will vote for improving transportation options, often voting in favor of raising their own taxes to pay the cost, 75 percent of local ballot measures on transportation were approved yesterday according to the Center for Transportation Excellence, a nonpartisan research center.

California’s high-speed rail project will stay on track, as Jerry Brown won a second turn as governor nearly 30 years after his first term. He’s pledged to continue the state’s ambitious high-speed rail program that the voters have already partially funded through a recent ballot measure. (Coincidentally, Brown was talking about high-speed rail in California back in the 1970′s when he was first Governor.)

Some of the highlights:

• Californians approved a measure that would keep the state from raiding funds dedicated to transportation and transit — one of the reasons nearly every CA transit agency found themselves in a budget crisis in the last two years.
• Voters in Clayton County, GA., where bus service was cancelled outright earlier this year, approved a non-binding referendum that demonstrated broad support for joining the region’s MARTA transit system by paying local taxes into the system.
• Residents in a half dozen or more Michigan cities of all sizes voted to extend or increase property tax hikes to support local transit systems. (Some of these were voted on in August)
• Fairfax County residents in suburban Washington, D.C., voted to support their continued payment into the regional WMATA system.

For a more comprehensive rundown of the election results and their potential impact, read the full summary from CFTE and keep up to date with coverage from The Transport Politic, Streetsblog Capitol Hill and others.

Transportation for America co-chair and former Meridian, Mississippi Mayor John Robert Smith shared his perspective as chief executive of a mid-sized city in a rural area. During his tenure, Smith initiated a renovation of Meridian’s historic train station, sparking growth and economic vitality in the downtown corridor that is now the “life of Meridian.” The improvements that he championed resulted in $135 million in capital investments around the station, and property values quadrupled in an area previously devoid of residents. More importantly, a vital aspect of mobility was restored for all residents of the area. Knowing firsthand how vital Amtrak service was to Mississippians, especially many traveling on fixed budgets, he helped lead the fight to restore the train route between Atlanta and New Orleans, and has continued his advocacy for passenger rail travel ever since.

Rural and small-town residents throughout the country are seeking more transportation options and want to ensure that they’re not left behind. Briefing panelists emphasized that transportation reform, far from leaving the heartland in the dust, can actually encourage growth and improve quality of life.

For one thing, improving rural transportation helps seniors. In 2000, 23 percent of older adults in America lived in rural areas, and as they age, they risk being isolated in their homes in the absence of adequate transportation infrastructure. Broader accessibility is a challenge as well due to long distances some rural Americans must travel to reach employment, groceries and health services. And, intercity mobility remains limited in many parts of the country, cutting people off from friends, family and economic opportunity. During the briefing, Mayor Smith spoke not only about the economic benefits of revitalizing the area around the train station, but also about the transit service that connected low-income residents in Meridian’s HOPE VI housing development, ensuring their access to essential destinations.

Enhancing transportation safety, relieving highway congestion by shifting goods movement to freight rail, investing in public buses and paratransit services and increasing intercity and multi-modal connectivity are some potential solutions for small cities and rural regions. T4 America staff have partnered with National Association of Counties and the National Association of Development Organizations, both of which were represented at the briefing, to help promote these solutions as vital parts of the upcoming transportation bill.

Far from leaving rural America out, a much-needed overhaul to our nation’s transportation policy can in fact provide a needed lifeline and help rural areas and smaller towns succeed as vital, livable places for all.

Rochelle Carpenter of Transportation for America contributed to this report.

In the next few weeks, Congress will decide whether or not to give the Department of Transportation $1.2 billion or $4 billion on high speed rail for the next year. $8 billion was allocated for planning and implementing clean, efficient, high speed train travel in the economic stimulus earlier this year, and with another $4 billion, we’d be making a historic $12 billion investment in high speed rail to help us move into the 21st century, unclog our congested airports and airspace, and provide a new clean, efficient alternative for speedy travel between major metro areas.

Sometime in the next week or two, Congress will decide whether or not to give DOT the amount in the House version of the bill ($4 billion), or the Senate version ($1.2 billion).

Tell Congress to keep $4 billion in the bill at www.fourbillion.com

Transportation for America is partnering with U.S. PIRG, Virginians for High Speed Rail, and the Midwest High Speed Rail Association to send a message to Congress that now is the time to make a historic investment in high speed rail.

Want the wonky details? As you may remember, the Senate passed the bill that funds the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development last week. The bill that passed last week is what’s known as a (yearly) appropriations bill, where the budget for the department and the programs are finalized and officially given their money by Congress. The House passed their version of the DOT/HUD funding bill several weeks ago, so the differences between the two bills will be ironed out in a conference committee very soon. The House and the Senate will select conferees to reconcile the two versions of the bill, before sending a final bill back to the House and Senate for a last vote and then to President Obama’s desk.

Let’s tell them to send the president a bill with $4 billion for high speed rail.

Post this action on Twitter, or with other tools via the button below.

But what about the looming transportation crisis? Will they be spending much time back at home talking about that?

This summer, as you’re stuck in traffic, squeezing into your carpool, feeling the minutes tick away as you wait for the always-late bus, or pedaling your way through dangerous intersections to put in a hard day’s work, too many legislators are unaware of what commuting each day means for their constituents.

That’s why we’re asking our elected officials to give their drivers a week off, leave their first-class tickets at home, and join our Take Your Legislator to Work Challenge!

For the Challenge, T4 America and some of our 350+ local partners will be organizing to ask your member of Congress or other prominent state leaders to leave their cars and first class flights at home for a week and ride the same carpools, trains, buses, subways, or bikes their constituents use everyday to get where they need to go. Maybe once they’ve seen what things are like on the ground and how limited your options are, they’ll be ready to talk about a truly reformed transportation bill when they come back to Washington in September.

The T4 America campaign is also going to be asking some notable leaders and individuals here in DC that aren’t going anywhere for the summer to take part in our Challenge. Check back right here on the blog for latest news on legislators that are participating or what you can do to help persuade them to join up, and hopefully, we can get a few of them to write or tweet about their experiences for us.

For those readers brave enough to wade into 90 pages of policy detail, we know have Rep. James Oberstar’s full outline proposal for the next transportation bill. At a press conference to discuss the release this afternoon, John Mica, the Republican Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said that the bill will be “the most critical jobs bill before congress in the next year,” with Oberstar adding that there is “bipartisan unanimity to move ahead in the public interest.”

As we continue to read through these 90 pages, we’ll keep offering some thoughts on various pieces of the proposal and how they could impact the future of our transportation system.

For Immediate Release:
June 11, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 140 organizations have joined Transportation for America in signing a letter supporting the National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009 (HR 2427). The groups, representing a wide-breadth of interests, including health, equity, energy and the environment sectors, commend representatives Rush Holt (D-NJ), Russ Carnahan (D-MO) and Jay Inslee (D-WA) for introducing legislation that lays out a new vision for our nation’s transportation system.

The National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009 (HR 2724) sets the stage for the upcoming authorization bill by outlining achievable objectives for our largest program of infrastructure investments. It breaks new, and critically important, ground by setting performance measures that will help ensure we have a smart, safe and clean transportation system that provides real, affordable options for all Americans.

The bill highlights a growing call among legislators and the public for federal policy to address overarching concerns about the economy, energy, climate and health in all major pieces of legislation. Americans are unlikely to agree to spend more money on a transportation system that is delivering incoherent results. However, Americans may be persuaded to provide additional support to fulfill a vision tied to clear, measurable goals. Transportation for America, along with 140 organizations who signed a letter of support, including the American Association of Railroads, American Public Health Association and CEOs for Cities, back the bill’s recommendations, including goals to repair our nation’s roads and highways, reduce fatalities and injuries, eliminate exposure to unhealthy air, triple biking, walking and public transit use, and improve accessibility to transportation options for low-income, aging, and disabled populations.

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.

The bill, which is intended to offer a vision for the House and Senate as they look to draft their separate versions of a transportation bill in the coming months, included input from the T4 America coalition and contains some of the exact same performance measures that T4 America proposed in our Route to Reform Blueprint. These include our proposals to:

• Reduce delay per capita by 10 percent,
• Reduce national motor vehicle-related fatalities by 50 percent, and
• Reduce national surface transportation-generated carbon dioxide levels by 40 percent, all by the year 2030.

The Washington Post took a look at the legislation this morning, including a quote from David Goldberg, Transportation for America’s communicators director, and Senator Lautenberg, who shows that he’s not taking the future of America’s transportation system lightly:

“A national surface transportation policy for our country is long overdue,” Lautenberg said. “We need a transportation policy that reestablishes our leadership throughout the world when it comes to transportation — and meets our country’s transportation demands for generations to come.”

In recent weeks, Transportation for America has been actively promoting our vision on the Hill — including  publicly releasing our Blueprint on Monday and offering testimony by T4 America campaign director, James Corless — as well as holding town hall meetings across the country to hear what Americans want in the future of their transportation system.

We hope you’ll continue to work with us as we fight for a revitalized economy and a renewed transportation program, and help Senators Lautenberg and Rockefeller push their colleagues to stand for reform. You can start by signing our petition urging Congress to create meaningful goals and demand accountability in the next transportation bill, and calling your Senators and telling them to cosponsor this bill from Sens. Lautenberg and Rockefeller.

“Livable and Sustainable Communities.”

Those four words might not be at the top of the list of what one would expect to hear from the person in charge of how the federal government spends our tax dollars on all forms of transportation — ports, railroads, highways, interstates, sidewalks, bike lanes and more — but that’s exactly what U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood named as a primary goal for DOT while testifying before a Senate Committee yesterday (ahead of T4 America.)

In his remarks, he made it clear that DOT and the Obama administration see the deep connections between where and how we spend transportation dollars and the quality of life for everyday Americans.

One of the clear issues with our national transportation program since 1991 is that it’s been like a huge ship without a rudder — spending billions each year without any clear goals or vision for exactly what those billions should accomplish for us. Economic development? More travel options for everyone? Making transportation affordable and safe for all Americans?

After talking at length about the many challenges facing America, Secretary LaHood made it clear that DOT will be governed by some very clear principles in the future, including better quality of life as a goal for transportation spending:

With these great challenges it is essential that our transportation policies be framed so that we can meet these demands and at the same time be consistent with the major goals I have established for guiding the actions of the Department of Transportation: economic recovery; safety; and livable and sustainable communities will be the key organizing themes as we in the Department reformulate existing policies and develop new policy directions for the future.

You can download his full remarks from the committee web site here, (.pdf) but continue reading for a few select quotes:

…Since 1970, there has been a 173 percent increase in vehicle miles traveled (VMT; the total miles traveled by all U.S. vehicles), while the population grew 47 percent. In other words, VMT increased at almost four times the rate of population growth. Notwithstanding some anticipated reduction in VMT growth in the near term, reflecting the current downturn in the economy, this growth trend is clearly unsustainable.

In the past, population and economic growth have always led to large increases in highway travel. This is because most communities have built transportation systems that only allow people and goods to move by road. This Administration believes that people should have options to get to work, school, the grocery or the doctor that do not rely solely on driving. We want to transform our transportation system into a truly multimodal system with strong alternatives to driving in order to maximize highway capacity, combat traffic congestion, reduce our reliance on oil and decrease greenhouse gas emissions…

How aging America affects transportation:

Addressing the mobility needs of our citizens, we must keep in mind that an aging population will increasingly challenge our transportation system. The percentage of the population over 65 will almost double during the next 50 years, from 12 percent to 21 percent. Those older people – the people just graduating from college today – will demand a high level of mobility. This population should be able to maintain a high level of mobility without having to rely only on the automobile. Public transportation, that provides convenient and affordable transportation service, must be available. Transit-oriented, mixed-use development can especially benefit our older citizens. We need to continue our efforts to coordinate government and non-profit transportation services to make it easier for older adults – as well as people with disabilities and people with low incomes – to live independently and get where they need to go…

On livability:

Livable and Sustainable Communities

One of my highest priorities is to help promote more livable communities through safe, reliable and accessible surface transportation choices. Actions on many fronts will be required to enhance transportation’s contribution to strong and connected communities. A livable community requires that transportation solutions be tailored to the needs of the individual community or region as one-size-fits-all solutions are no longer viable.

Our initial focus will be on expanding the transportation choices available to American families. All segments of the population must have access to transportation services to get to work, housing, medical, educational, shopping, and other essential activities. Linking transportation and land-use planning to promote improved access to transit and creating walkable, bikeable communities will increase overall mobility and benefit all Americans.

The average working American family spends nearly 60 percent of its household budget on housing and transportation costs, making these two areas the largest expenses for American families. Affordable housing near transportation is an important element of livable communities and we have already started working with HUD to help provide American families with more choices for affordable housing near jobs and improve their range of transportation options while lowering their transportation costs.

Livability is not just an urban idea. The Department is working to improve livability of rural Americans as well. Many rural communities face tough choices as they try to attract economic development. They want to grow and attract new jobs but do not want to lose the unique character of the area. Transportation investments in these communities can be designed in a way to support new development while maintaining the small town character that makes these communities home.

• Download testimony from James Corless (pdf)
• Download testimony from Anne Canby and STPP (pdf)

Continue reading to see the full prepared remarks of T4′s James Corless.

Statement of Transportation for America campaign director James Corless before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security the Future of National Surface Transportation Policy.

APRIL 28, 2009

Chairman Lautenberg, Ranking Member Thune, and Members of the Subcommittee, I thank you for inviting Transportation for America to testify today on the future of our national surface transportation policy.  Transportation for America is the country’s broadest and most diverse transportation coalition.  Our members hail from the fields of transportation, housing, environment, public health, real estate, safety, and social equity representing more than 270 different organizations.  We work closely with local elected officials and transportation practitioners.  And together, we are calling for a 21st century transportation system that is smarter, safer, and cleaner – and provides real choices for all Americans.

Transportation investments are our nation’s best tool to improve our economic competitiveness; reduce energy usage and curb greenhouse gas emissions; provide good paying green jobs; increase economic opportunity; and improve quality of life for all Americans.  The upcoming rewrite of our federal transportation law represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop a new national transportation vision and leave behind a legacy for our children and grandchildren.

Lack of a Compelling National Surface Transportation Policy

Unfortunately, our nation lacks a cohesive national surface transportation policy, and consequently, cannot adequately address many of our transportation challenges let alone address other pressing national issues.  Today our strength as a nation is specifically being limited by:

• a dependency on petroleum that threatens our national security, drains household budgets, exacerbates climate change, undermines public health, and imperils the U.S. economy;
• a haphazard, inefficient relationship between our transportation systems and our land development patterns;
• a backlog of crumbling, unsafe, and obsolete transportation facilities;
• an outmoded freight transportation system that is over-capacity and incapable of efficiently linking the US national economy into the global economy; and,
• a transportation system that provides few options for aging Americans, low-income families and others who are unable or can’t afford to drive.

The Need for a National Vision, Objectives and Performance Targets

First and foremost, the next federal surface transportation bill must articulate a clear and compelling vision for a new National Transportation System; one that prepares for and responds to the myriad challenges facing our nation today and tomorrow.  While the 1956 Interstate Highway Act met the needs of our country in the mid-twentieth century, America in the 21st century needs a complete national transportation system that includes safe, well-maintained interstates, highways, high speed rail, public transportation, bicycling and pedestrian networks to face the ongoing challenges of energy security, global warming, changing demographics, public health care costs, and global economic competition.

Transportation for America therefore calls on Congress to develop a new national vision for a 21st century transportation system, and to clearly define the national interest and purpose of the federal transportation program through the establishment of National Transportation Objectives.  Specifically, Transportation for America proposes the following six objectives:

1. Improve Economic Competitiveness, System Efficiency and Workforce Development Opportunities;
2. Improve Transportation System Conditions and Connectivity;
3. Ensure Safety for All Transportation Users and Improve Public Health Outcomes;
4. Promote Energy Conservation and Achieve Energy Security;
5. Ensure Environmental Protection, Restore Climate Stability and Resolve Persistent Environmental Justice issues;
6. Provide Equal and Equitable Access to Transportation Options in Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities.

Only by defining a set of objectives for our transportation system can we then identify and follow through with a set of measures to achieve them thereby addressing the numerous challenges facing this nation.

Ensuring Accountability by Measuring Performance

Transportation for America further recommends that Congress establish National Transportation Performance Targets for states and regions to evaluate progress on achieving the National Transportation Objectives.   This combination of measures should be powerful drivers of change since no single measure can fully assess achievement of a particular national goal, since all are complex, are dependent on many variables, and have multiple ways in which they can be evaluated.  Consistent with typical planning horizons, targets could be set for 20 years.   Financial rewards and penalties based on progress toward NTO’s should serve as a basis for accountability.

Transportation for America recommends the following key performance targets be embedded in new transportation legislation as a means for ensuring national progress toward the National Transportation Objectives:

• Increase the share of surface transportation facilities in a state of good repair by20% in 20 years;
• Reduce traffic-related crashes by 50% in 20 years;
• Reducing per capita vehicle miles traveled by 16% in 20 years;
• Triple walking, biking, public transportation, and passenger rail use in 20 years;
• Reduce the transportation-generated CO2 levels by 40% in 20 years;
• Reduce vehicle delay per capita by 10% in 20 years;
• Increase the share of freight carried on rail by 20% in 20 years;
• Achieve zero population exposure to at-risk levels of air pollution in 20 years;
• Reduce household expenditures on housing and transportation by 10% in 20 years;
• Increase by 50% the number of essential destinations accessible within 30 minutes by public transportation or a 15-minute walk for low-income, senior and disabled populations in 20 years;

The Importance of Rural Transportation

Transportation for America believes strongly that there should be a renewed commitment to rural areas in the next federal transportation bill.  In our forthcoming policy proposal for the federal transportation authorization, we call for a new funding program designed specifically for small cities and rural regions.   There are a number of key issues that we believe need to be addressed for rural areas:

• Developing rural road safety measures that prioritize cost-effective solutions for all users;
• Developing effective, integrated forms of public transportation, vanpools and  ridesharing for rural areas that can realize efficiencies through the use of technology, shared vehicles and volunteer services;
• Addressing the demand for cost-effective and efficient systems to get goods to markets through reinvestment in freight railroads;
• Supporting stronger coordination of transportation and land use in rural areas to preserve rural town character and promote local economic development efforts;
• Elevating the capacity of rural planning by providing funding and technical assistance to rural regions to promote greater access to and cooperation with state departments of transportation.

Our Nation’s Transportation Future

In the future, our nation’s surface transportation system should provide the foundation for personal opportunity, robust commerce and a healthy population. It should achieve national goals for economic development, environmental sustainability and equitable access. It should be a modern, 21st century system, investing strategically in new capacity with care and upkeep of existing infrastructure.  Public transit systems, high-speed intercity rail corridors, roadway facilities, waterways, ports, bridges, bicycle and pedestrian facilities all should be kept in a state of good repair.  The trillions of dollars in asset value of the systems and facilities built over the past century should be protected and enhanced.

The transportation program should be designed to invigorate local and regional economies and facilitate efficient inter-regional commerce. It should reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by supporting more sustainable land use and travel patterns. Our national transportation investments should help provide affordable housing opportunities near good public transit service and employment centers and should promote walking and bicycling as economical and healthy modes.  America’s surface transportation system should enable us to compete successfully in a global economy and should be a model for other nations to follow.

Transportation for America supports a rejuvenated, redirected national transportation program that would result in a national mobility network providing a vital, complete array of mobility choices easily accessible to the vast majority of Americans – whether walking, bicycling, driving or traveling on public transportation– in a unified, interconnected, energy-efficient manner.  Such a system will serve our national interests, add value to communities, contribute positively to public health and safety, and reflect the values of equity and fairness that have been hallmarks of our nation’s domestic policy.

As Congress considers the upcoming transportation authorization, Transportation for America stands ready to assist its efforts in developing a world leading and sustainable transportation system that will turn this nation back into a world leader on surface  transportation policy.  Again, thank you for inviting Transportation for America to testify before this subcommittee.