TRU is proud to join allies including the Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, and Jobs for Justice in announcing the Oakland County 2020 Climate, Jobs and Justice Platform. Highlights include the creation of a sustainability office and climate resilience plan with a net-zero carbon goal for 2050 and expansion of public transit, bike, and electric vehicle infrastructure.
We helped craft the transit and transportation section, which reads as follows:
Oakland County will work to expand and fully fund public transportation, bike trails and other low-carbon shared use mobility with a goal of providing everyone in the county access to sustainable mobility options.
Oakland County will create a comprehensive plan to link Woodward Avenue to each nearby community through bike, bus and walkability infrastructure. This will allow a seamless, low-carbon alternative to driving across much of Oakland County, incorporating multiple non-motorized forms of transportation along with transit.
Oakland County will make Woodward Avenue a model for efficient, affordable electrified rapid transit linking all communities along it. Oakland County will encourage higher density, transit-oriented development adjacent to Woodward Avenue that minimizes the need for personal cars.
Transportation systems will be modernized to be convenient and easy for anyone to utilize, allowing for at-stop ticket purchasing, credit card use, and real time updates.
Oakland County will develop grant and incentive programs in conjunction with state policy to help enable more shared use mobility and create a network of charging stations supporting electric vehicles.
Oakland County will put a moratorium on widening roads until a local funding plan for their long-term maintenance is in place. Oakland County will push the Michigan Department of Transportation to create high-occupancy vehicle lanes on I-75 and other major highways to discourage wasteful single-occupancy vehicle travel.