President Obama Calls for Investments in Transportation

This has been a big week in transportation – the President urged Congress to continue to invest in our nation’s transportation infrastructure and today we marked the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking Civil Rights Act of 1964.

On Tuesday, President Obama made a call for investments in transportation. During the President’s remarks, he urged Congress to look to the Administration’s GROW AMERICA Act as the blueprint for long-term transportation investments. PolicyLink, as co-chair of the Transportation Equity Caucus, agrees with the President’s call for robust funding for our streets, sidewalks, and transit. Specifically, the Equity Caucus calls for a surface transportation bill that will:

  • Expand access to transportation jobs for low-income people, women, people with disabilities, and communities of color.
  • Foster equitable investment in public transportation, bicycling, and pedestrian projects.
  • Leverage data collection, performance measures, and interagency collaboration to ensure transportation projects benefit all.
     

Also, this week our nation celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.  To commemorate this milestone, the Transportation Equity Caucus hosted a webinar that explored intersections between civil rights and transportation. During the webinar equity advocates in California, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wisconsin described how local communities use civil rights statues to ensure federal transportation investments are fair and inclusive.

Significant progress has been made to make our transportation system more inclusive, yet barriers in access to transportation remain. For this reason, the Transportation Equity Caucus urges policymakers and stakeholders to prioritize policies that enhance access to transportation for all. We invite you to join the Equity Caucus so that we can work together to realize equitable, rich communities that allow all to participate and prosper.

Please visit equitycaucus.org to learn more.