Aloha Complete Streets!
Great news coming out of Hawai’i, where a burgeoning coalition of passionate advocates were able to get a statewide complete streets policy passed this week — the 92nd policy at any level passed in the U.S. The One Voice for Livable Islands Coalition brought together biking, walking, health and other advocates to help raise awareness about the dangerous situation on Hawai’i’s roads — and how a complete streets bill could help make the streets safer and more accessible for everyone.
Join us for our “Blueprint” release next Monday
For those of you in the Washington, D.C. area, we would like to invite you to a special briefing on Capitol Hill this Monday (May 11) as we release the Transportation For America “Blueprint” for this year’s Federal Transportation Bill. If our Platform, released in February, was like the stated destination for our country’s transportation system, then Route to Reform: Blueprint for a 21st Century Federal Transportation Program would be our directions for getting there.
Webinar Wrap: Public Health and Safety
Transportation for America hosted the fourth webinar in a series last Thursday, April 30. More than 270 people signed up to hear from health, safety and active transportation experts on the effects our transportation policy has on public health and safety. In coordination with the webinar, we’ve released the 5th in a series of policy papers, focusing on public health and safety.
Next Webinar May 14: Transportation in Small Cities, Towns, and Rural Regions
Please join Transportation for America’s interactive webinar on May 14 at 2 p.m. EDT to learn how federal leadership can reform transportation systems to benefit those in small cities, towns, and rural regions, and transform these smaller communities into centers of economic vitality, improved health, and livable places.
Transportation Secretary affirms smart principles for US transportation system
“Livable and Sustainable Communities” 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 Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood named as a primary goal for DOT.
T4 America to testify on Capitol Hill this afternoon
Transportation for America will be on Capitol Hill today testifying before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on “The Future of National Surface Transportation Policy.” You can stream it live on the Committee’s website. Campaign director James Corless, along with Anne Canby of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership and a founding member of T4 America, will be testifying this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
“A small group of committed individuals can and often do make a difference.”
Policy may get made here in Washington, but transportation, mobility and safety are truly local issues. The kinds of transportation investments that we’re pushing for aren’t luxuries — they’re essential necessities that help Americans get where they need to go, safely and affordably. It’s high time that we made sure we invested in a transportation system that is safe and accessible for everyone. So why is access to transportation choices and safe, complete streets so important?
Rep. Oberstar stuck in traffic, misses release of report on public transportation
The Environmental Defense Fund held a news conference Thursday morning to release a new report profiling 10 innovative public transportation systems. Rep. Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota, who heads up the House committee responsible for writing the transportation bill this year, was invited to give remarks. So where was Rep. Oberstar when the press conference kicked off Thursday morning on Capitol Hill? Stuck in gridlocked DC traffic, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Webinar Wrap: Housing and Development
Our third webinar took place last week, and almost 300 people attended the session to hear from development experts on the connections between transportation policy, real estate development, and affordable housing.
More on today’s high speed rail announcement
President Obama’s remarks from the press conference this morning have been posted on the White House blog. In his remarks, joined by Vice President Biden and Transportation Secretary LaHood, Obama appealed to our national pride and pointed to the benefits that high-speed rail would bring to all Americans: There’s no reason why we can’t do […]