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Time for Greater State Leadership
It Is Now Up to State & Local Leaders to Deliver Real Travel Options to the Public
As the President signs the transportation bill, the opportunity to make wiser use of these new transportation dollars now shifts to state and local leaders.
While a drill and drive formulation of our nation's energy and transportation challenges underpinned the Congressional debate, the new law does continue to empower governors, state transportation agency officials and local officials to go beyond business as usual in their transportation investment policies and priorities.
If there was ever a time for greater state leadership, it is now, with polls showing that gas prices cause hardship for a majority of Americans, even before the most recent run up in oil prices. State leaders in partnership with local officials can take advantage of the flexibility of federal funds to deliver real travel options to the public, reducing the burden of rising transportation costs on families and regional economies and harm to the environment. This means raising commitments to public transportation, walking and bicycling and doing a better job of maintaining and operating systems already in place.
Much has changed since Congress initiated debate on the new transportation law more than three years ago. Energy supplies are more uncertain, gasoline costs are much higher and rising, and there is a greater urgency to connect our national energy, health, environmental and transportation policies. Despite some improvements in the safety area, Congress largely ignored these broader issues, leaving state and local leaders to address them on their own. Adding to the challenge, the huge increase in Congressional project earmarks reduces the resources that will be available to state and local leaders to respond to these national issues.
It is now up to our governors, mayors, county executives and other elected officials to make better transportation choices for transit, walking, bicycling, freight movement, and land use and development, mindful of these broader national challenges. The STPP Coalition calls on state and local leaders to act decisively and fill this void.
The Surface Transportation Policy Project, a national non-profit advocacy organization founded in 1991, is a diverse, nationwide coalition working to ensure safer communities and smarter transportation choices that enhance the economy, improve public health, promote social equity, and protect the environment.
The Surface Transportation
Policy Project is a diverse, nationwide coalition
working to ensure safer communities and smarter
transportation choices that enhance the economy, improve
public health, promote social equity, and protect the
environment.
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