News reports and advocacy groups report that work continues on a massive stimulus package that President-Elect Obama hopes to sign in January, which will likely includes many billions of dollars for transportation infrastructure projects. But as always, the devil is in the details.
According to our friends at the Midwest High Speed Rail Network, "There is a curious paradox in the discussions. President-Elect Obama has said that the stimulus should be used to retool our economy to be more fuel efficient and greener. And yet, the criteria being used to judge transportation spending will prioritize highway construction."
Similarly, Friends of the Earth reports, "President-elect Obama and Congress are working to pass a green-jobs economic stimulus package—but it is in danger of being hijacked by the road-building lobby, which wants billions of dollars for unnecessary new roads that would increase global warming pollution. Just 10 miles of a new four-lane highway lead to emissions that are equivalent to the lifetime emissions of 46,700 new Hummers."
These and other groups have made it easy for you to say how you think transportation dollars should be spent:
- Friends of the Earth suggests, "By investing in clean transportation solutions including public transportation and smart growth, the stimulus package can create green jobs (such investments create more jobs per dollar than new roads) and reduce our dependence on oil. Send Congress this simple message: New Roads = New Pollution. Keep the stimulus clean."
- And the Midwest High Speed Rail Network says, "That is why it is critical that transit supporters make their voices heard in the next couple of weeks. Join us in pushing for real change in Washington by asking your representatives to invest at least $48 billion on transit and $5 billion spent on high speed trains."
- The Transportation For America campaign adds, "On November 4, Americans spoke out in favor of following a new direction. . . . We can’t afford to let Congress drop the ball on real investment in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. Smart transportation investments will strengthen our economy, create jobs, reduce our dependence on oil . . . Send a strong message to your representative and senators: make sure any economic recovery bill makes only the highest-impact transportation investments."
- The Environmental Law & Policy Center makes a similar call, "Done correctly, this legislation will create green jobs, build a high-speed rail network, and rebuild our transit systems. Done wrong, it will waste billions on new "bridges to nowhere" and highways that worsen our dependence on foreign oil. Please ask Congress to do it right."
You can also go directly to Change.gov and send your thoughts directly to the Office of the President-Elect.