Stand Up 4 Transportation
Federal transportation funding literally dries up in less than 2 months. Tomorrow (4/9), join a national movement. Tell the Feds to follow Pennsylvania's leadership and #standup4transportation. Contact your Congressional representative and Senator.
Why are we here again? Didn't we fix this? In short, sort of.Pennsylvania showed great leadership passing its own comprehensive transportation funding bill. That all but evaporates if the Feds don't do their part.Our country's transportation system relies on the robust state-federal partnership to fund it. The primary mechanism - the Highway Trust Fund - runs out May-June. We can't let that happen.Tens of thousands of jobs are on the line.The ability to modernize bus fleets, maintain our transit system, or build the pedestrian and biking infrastructure our city so desperately needs is also at stake.A local coalition is joining a national movement and will converge on the Wood St. T Station tomorrow at 10 to all attention to the crisis. But Congress needs to hear from all of us. Here's how you can help:
- Ride a bus, bike, or train to work tomorrow
- Sign the petition at www.standup4transportation.org
- Write a letter to your Congressperson, maybe using the suggested one below
- Tweet your transportation story using #StandUp4Transportation
- Get more information at www.apta.com/standup4transportation
Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Stand Up for Transportation Day will unite the voices of 200+ participating organizations in over 140 communities nationwide to focus on the federal transportation funding crisis’s urgency and provide a Pittsburgh-region context.Whether you ride a train, bus or bike, walk or drive, the expiration of the federal funding bill has a direct impact on our shared economy and quality of life. Without a long-term federal transportation funding bill, ours and communities across the country will face tremendous economic and employment uncertainty.Transportation is the backbone of our local and national economy. A long-term transportation bill is needed to reinforce and expand transportation choices, and to continue to grow our economy – locally and nationally.
Name
Address 1
Address 2
City, St ZIP
Name
Address 1
Address 2
City, St ZIP
Re: Surface Transportation Funding
<name>:
The importance of our transportation system to travel and trade is well known and reason enough to authorize continued federal Surface Transportation funding. We must also ensure that non-highway funding continues to be available for affordable public transit and adequate and accessible bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. With help from MAP-21, and its predecessors, Pittsburgh continues to lead the country in the percentage of commuters not using single-occupancy vehicles, who instead opt for Alternative Transportation.
Affordable, viable transportation choices beyond the automobile are important for the Pittsburgh region and must be at the heart of this reauthorization: our Interstates and other primary roads are heavily congested during rush hours; parking in Downtown and Oakland is maxed out daily, transportation contributes 25% of our regional greenhouse gas emissions; and our region suffers from the 6th worst air quality in the country. Non-auto travel is indispensable to Pittsburgh as half of all trips taken in the city are not by car and over 10% of Pittsburghers do not own a car. The ability for our region to grow and be viable for coming generations is predicated on robust, viable, equitable, and abundant non-automobile transportation choices being expanded - not contracted..Over the past year, ridership Port Authority of Allegheny County routes increased where service was increased. Pittsburgh has seen the largest increase in the bicycle commuter rate in the country since 2000 with bike infrastructure investments playing a large role in that gain.. The proof is in the pudding. Pittsburghers demand transportation choices not involving automobiles and that are convenient, safe, improve air quality, and reduce congestion.Transportation choice is the unsung life-blood of our city. Our region’s present and future depend on balanced, multimodal approach to transportation funding reauthorization that prioritizes biking, walking, and mass transit. We expect that you will do all in your power to fund a Surface Transportation Program by May 31st that includes adequate, reliable, and growing funding for reliable and affordable public transit, and adequate and accessible bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. We need your leadership and support to ensure that we have the transportation choices we want and need.
Thank you for your time,
<your name>