10th
yadda yadda yadda, via GGW.
I’m a multi-modal transit user, bicycle commuter, and car driver. I wish more would take transit or bike to work. But so often public transit is inconvenient and inadequate. That’s a deal breaker for most of our transportation needs.
Current proposals circulating Congress do not do enough to direct funding toward high-impact investments. Infrastructure spending for transportation in an economic stimulus bill must:
- Hold State Departments of Transportation and Transit Agencies accountable for funding they receive, making sure that new money is prioritized for repair, preservation, and improving safety.
- Provide energy assistance operating grants to preserve current jobs in transit and ensure that affordable travel options don’t disappear for those who already rely on it.
- Replace aging buses with new clean energy vehicles, acquire new buses and rail cars to meet surging demand, and perform needed maintenance.
- Fund ready-to-go projects for all modes of alternative transportation to ensure a balanced recovery.
We must invest in projects that help our families reduce their expenses, that free us from oil dependence, and that create long-term jobs that are clean and green. Infrastructure investments as part of an economic recovery package will put people to work quickly by creating a 21st Century transportation system.
