Federal Budget: Prioritize 21st Century Transit
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FORWARD-LOOKING TRANSPORTATION—OSPIRG Associate Matt Wallace, joined by Eugene Mayor Piercy and representatives from the Lane Transit District, talks to reporters about OSPIRG’s report, “A Better Way to Go.†|
OSPIRG has called on Congress to double the nation’s investment in public transit. Doing so would provide funds to accommodate record numbers of transit riders with reliable service and could move promising transit projects off the drawing board here in Oregon and across the country.
“We have a chance to help bring America’s public transit systems into the 21st century,” said Phineas Baxandall, an OSPIRG policy analyst with expertise on budget issues. “With a 21st century system, we can take a big dent out of our worsening traffic jams, our nation’s oil dependence and global warming.”
DeFazio Champions Transit
In March, OSPIRG applauded Rep. Peter DeFazio (Eugene) for his long-time efforts to secure robust funding for needed maintenance of roads and bridges and smart public transit projects.
In his position as Chairman of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Rep. DeFazio will play a key role in shaping the next multi-billion dollar federal transportation bill.
Champions like Rep. DeFazio will be needed to overcome the influence of the powerful road-builders and their friends in Congress.
Funding Favors New Roads
Since 1956, when the Interstate Highway Act was passed, state and federal governments have invested nine times more on highways than on public transportation.
New, big highway projects have never gone begging for friends on Capitol Hill, thanks in part to the political influence of the automobile and road-building industries, as well as other interests that stand to reap huge profits if the right projects receive a congressional green light. Yet with public concern growing over traffic and global warming, and with public support for public transit on the rise, the political winds are starting to shift.
Leading up to the federal budget decisions, we’re building support at the state and municipal levels, asking organizations and local leaders to agree to:
• Support projects that expand clean, efficient transportation choices including light rail, commuter rail, rapid bus service and other forms of modern public transportation.
• Support projects that fix our crumbling roads and bridges by investing more federal highway money in maintenance, not new highway projects.
• Support projects that spend taxpayers’ money wisely by focusing transportation dollars on solving our nation’s biggest problems. Federal transportation money should be spent only on projects that produce real results over the long haul.
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