When it comes to transportation, Americans are running on empty. Highways, bridges, and transit systems are crumbling; emissions from cars and buses are leading to additional health problems; and the nation is slipping further and further behind on developing green technologies.

The federal economic stimulus has injected some much-needed capital into transportation projects, but it has not created either long-term support or a platform for changed policies. With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act being implemented and the six-year federal transportation spending reauthorization bill about to be debated, it is crucially important that social and economic equity be a key driver of policy choices.  Transportation investment shapes communities and regions, determines access to economic opportunity, and affects public health in many critical ways.  An unprecedented range of advocates are working to make the next reauthorization a truly progressive piece of legislation.

Transportation for America (T4A)

Transportation for America—a diverse national coalition, including PolicyLink —is aligning transportation policies with economic opportunity, climate change, energy security, health, housing, and community development.  Given that the $286 billion national transportation bill will face expiration in September 2009, it is crucial that the Obama Administration addresses how transportation funds should be spent—and how this will benefit low-income communities.

The Transportation for America campaign sponsored a webinar on transportation equity featuring PolicyLink President Judith Bell and a panel of community and national leaders.  A new policy brief was completed in conjunction with that webinar. For further information on this recent event and publication go to  http://t4america.org/blog/archives/748

Transportation Equity Network (TEN)

The Transportation Equity Network (TEN) -- a national coalition reforming unjust and unwise transportation and land use policies—is working with PolicyLink to shape transportation policy on the local, state, and federal levels.

Currently, TEN is working with PolicyLink on strategies and tactics to make sure that the nearly $50 billion included in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to improve our nation's bridges, transit systems, roads, rails, and ports goes to expand opportunity and equity for millions of Americans.   TEN and its member organizations have been extensively involved in advocating for employment opportunities for residents of low income communities in the construction of transportation and infrastructure.
In March 2009, the two groups held a national conference call to discuss how advocates and decision-makers can help build healthy communities, expand access to jobs for lower-income people, and foster greater accountability and transparency.

To learn more about the Transportation Equity Network (TEN), visit: http://www.transportationequity.org

America 2050

Our nation finds itself confronted with a serious challenge to repair its deteriorating, inadequate infrastructure systems. The  members of the America 2050 network are calling on the federal government to develop a National Infrastructure Investment Plan that identifies investments in integrated systems of roads, rails, and ports, electricity transmission and the "smart grid," broadband communications, and water infrastructure to help America compete in the global economy and transition our fossil-fuel dependent economy to a low-carbon future.

The network’s goal for shaping the infrastructure investment plan is to promote a "triple bottom line" strategy for infrastructure development in the United States. This concept refers to using environmental sustainability and social equity measures as the other important bottom lines to consider in weighing investment decisions in addition to financial return on investment. The upcoming reauthorization of federal transportation funding provides the opportunity to restructure programs in order to approach the goal of genuine “metropolitan mobility.”  PolicyLink is working within this network to ensure that equity objectives are at the heart of any such metro mobility policy.

http://www.america2050.org