A New National Transportation Policy for the 21

st

Century

Transportation For America American Planning Association September 21 st , 2010 Kathleen Woodruff, T4A Illinois Statewide Organizer

Source: © 2009 GasBuddy.com

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 10, 2006

Children Are Walking Less to School

In 1969:

50%

of children walked or biked to school.

In 2001: only children walked or biked to school.

13%

of Source: Robert Wood Johnson foundation, Active Transportation to

School: Trends in Walking and Biking to School

Americans are Becoming Increasingly Obese

Americans are Becoming Increasingly Obese

Source: Mokdad A H, et al. J Am Med Assoc 1999;282:16, 2001

Economic Costs of Obesity

• • • Direct costs of obesity total $75 billion nationally; indirect costs total $139 billion Obese people pay 36% more for health care and 77% more for medications Obese employees had $51,091 in workers’ compensation medical claims costs per 100 full-time employees; non-obese employees had $7,503 in medical claims costs per 100 employees

Economic Costs of Obesity

• • • Indirect costs fall on employers (increased absenteeism, disability, presenteeism, workers’ compensation) Obese workers had 183.63 lost workdays per 100 full-time employees; non-obese workers had 14.19 lost workdays per 100 full-time employees Excessive weight and physical inactivity negatively affect quality & quantity of work, and overall job performance

Americans want transportation options

Federal Gas Tax

Americans Want Options

➔

73% of Americans say they have no choice but to drive

➔

Further 66% would like MORE options.

• 59% would like more public transit options ➔

57% would like to spend less time in their car

Federal Transportation Policy

➔

We need increased transportation investment

➔

BUT can’t keep asking for money without a vision

➔

Need to be smarter about where we build new

➔

Need more accountability and performance

➔

Better up front planning, less red tape on back end

➔

Contractors, labor, enviros, health cooperate

History of Reauthorization

• • • • 1991, ISTEA (Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act) $155 Billion – – new vision for surface transportation expanded funding to air quality, reducing congestion and pedestrian and bicycle access 1998, TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st $227 Billion – Declared interstate highway system complete – Century) Increased funding levels and added local flexibility to existing programs 2005, SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) $286 Billion – Safe Routes to School Program and more funding 2010/11, The New Bill? $450 Billion

ISTEA

• • • • • ISTEA: Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 $155 Billion New vision for surface transportation in America.

Presented an overall intermodal approach to highway and transit funding with collaborative planning requirements Gave significant additional powers to (MPOs) Metropolitan Planning Organizations.

TEA-21

• • Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st Century 1998-2003 Authorized $217 billion over 6 years – 40% more than ISTEA Balanced investment in highway, transit, intermodal projects and technologies, Strong state and local flexibility in the use for funds.

Increased tax-free transit benefits to encourage transit ridership.

Streamlined Planning in metropolitan and statewide transportation planning processes -freight shippers and transit riders as stakeholders. Strengthens the role of local officials and improves public involvement in the planning processes.

• •

SAFETEA-LU

August 2005, President Bush signed into law

Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users

• • $286 Billion Focused on improving safety, reducing traffic congestion, improving efficiency in freight movement, increasing intermodal connectivity, and protecting the environment • • • • • • • •

KEY PRINCIPALS Safety Equity Innovative Finance Congestion Relief Mobility and Productivity Efficiency Environmental stewardship Environmental Streamlining

REAUTHORIZATION-2011?

Will they use outline from Oberstar house bill Huge opportunity with current administration Most likely now not happening until 2011 What will the midterms bring?

Change in party? Change in leadership of crucial committees such as EPW, Banking etc.?

Transportation for America believes the 21 st century requires a more complete transportation system— one that is smarter, safer, cleaner, and provides more mobility options for all Americans.

A broad, growing coalition

T4America: A Broad, Growing Coalition

➔ Began May 2008 ➔ 500 members include AARP, ATU, TWU, Teamsters, Good Jobs First, National Housing Conference, TEN, Policylink, NRDC, American Public Health Association ➔ 8 staffed states, partners in 40 states ➔ New Blueprint unveiled in May 2009 provides a roadmap for reform.

The T4America Agenda

➔ Smarter ➔ Goals and performance measures ➔ Smarter communities with a diverse mix of uses ➔ ITS and operational hwy improvements ➔ Safer ➔ Safer streets for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists ➔ More choices ➔ Such as public transportation, high speed rail, walkable neighborhoods, bike paths ➔ More local control ➔ New roles and $$ for regional transportation agencies

T4America Goals

➔ Accountability – measurable goals incl CO2 & safety ➔ Repair - Road, bridge and transit rehab & operations ➔ Jobs - Quality jobs & workforce development ➔ Options – public transit, walkable communities, rail ➔ Access – for seniors, low-income and the disabled ➔ Innovation – technology, mixed income TOD ➔ Influence - more local voices and local control

Critical Reform Areas

Performance Measurement and Accountability

How to measure progress?

Program Structure

How to achieve objectives?

Institutional Structure

How to monitor and deliver reforms?

Revenue and Finance

How to pay for it?

Transportation and a 21 st

Transportation in a 21

st

century economy

Century Economy

The Federal Highway Administration estimates that every billion of federal dollars invested in transportation creates 34,000 jobs Investments in road maintenance projects create nine percent more jobs than spending on new highway capacity; investment in transit capacity creates 19 percent more jobs than road expansion.

National Transportation Objectives

➔ Promote Energy Conservation and Energy Security ➔ Ensure Environmental Protection, including Climate Stability ➔ Improve Economic Competitiveness and System Efficiency ➔ Ensure Safety and Improved Public Health ➔ Better Transportation System Conditions and Connectivity ➔ Provide Equal and Equitable Access to Transportation Options Flickr user: starquake

Performance Targets

• • • • • Reduce per capita VMT by 16% Triple walking, biking, and public transportation usage Reduce transportation-generated carbon dioxide levels by 40% Increase proportion of freight transportation provided by railroad and intermodal service by 20% Achieve zero percent population exposure to at-risk levels of air pollution Flickr user: karolik Flickr user: portlandbike.org

Elements of Reform

Flickr user: dctourism • • • • • • • Empowering local and regional governing bodies with direct funding and decision-making ability.

Breaking down modal silos with reformed program structure Integrating transportation with land use, housing, economic development, and environmental protection through new programs and incentives.

Clear goals and performance targets – with accountability.

Elevating needs of underserved communities.

Multiple funding scenarios, but no extra dollars without reform.

More balance in funding – more for transit, bicycling, walking, planning

TIGER GRANTS

• TIGER: • Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery • Entire amount spent in the first round of TIGER grants • Legislation provides $1.5 billion for a National Surface Transportation System through September 30, 2011 • Awardees in Illinois • Normal Illinois Multi-modal Transportation Center • CREATE program aims to alleviate major bottlenecks along the area’s freight- and passenger-rail corridors. The public/private partnership program includes more than 46 rail and 25 grade separation projects that call for restructuring, modernizing and expanding Chicago’s rail network..

• Amount potentially spent in TIGER II • DOT is authorized to award $600 million in TIGER II Discretionary Grants

Key Differences between Tiger I and Tiger II:

-At least $140 million of the new grants are required to go to rural areas -Localities selected to receive federal funding would need to provide a 20 percent match

Name: Normal Multimodal Transportation Center Location: Normal, IL Sponsor: Town of Normal, IL Total Cost: TIGER Funding: $47,400,000 $22,000,000

4 - Number of stories (first floor serves Amtrak, bus and taxi users; top three floors for town of Normal administrative offices and City Council chambers) 400 - Spaces in attached parking deck 7,500 - Square feet of first-floor retail space 9.8 - Amount in millions of dollars for the town’s share of the project’s cost 24.9 - Amount in millions of dollars for the winning bid by River City Construction of East Peoria 33.4 - Amount in millions of dollars received from federal and state grants, including $22 million in a federal Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery grant 43.3 - Amount in millions of dollars for the total cost, including design, furniture, equipment and roads

Source: The Pantagraph

Sustainable Communities

➔ DOT, HUD & EPA ➔ Affordability, Choice & Access – both Transp & Housing ➔ Livable Communities = Sustainable Communities ➔ Coordination of Programs, ID Barriers to Implementation ➔ $150M in HUD FY10 Budget ➔ Sen Dodd bill - $400M regional planning, $3.75B projects Flickr user: starquake

Six livability principals

• – – – – The Partnership for Sustainable Communities established six livability principles that will act as a foundation for interagency coordination: –

Provide more transportation choices.

–

Provide more transportation choices.

Enhance economic competitiveness.

Support existing communities.

Coordinate policies and leverage investment.

Value communities and neighborhoods.

Rep. Blumenauer on Government & Transit

http://www.streetfilms.org/earl-blumenauer-talks-transit-stimulus-bikes-and-obama/

The Future of Transportation

➔ Metropolitan Regions ➔ that link to one another with roads, air, bus and high speed rail ➔ but also compete with one another for funding, business, people ➔ Goodbye gasoline tax, hello distance & congestion pricing ➔ Competitive grants from federal and state levels ➔ Smarter, more coordinated public transportation ➔ Focus on the big and the small – freight, high speed rail and walkable communities

House T Bill

➔ $450B for six years ➔ Double $$ for transit, TOD is major criteria ➔ Metro Mobility Pgm for large metro areas ➔ Blueprint planning to link housing & transportation plans ➔ CO2/Climate targets as part of long range transp plans Flickr user: starquake

Senate T Bill

➔ Safety ➔ Asset Management ➔ Freight ➔ Metro Mobility ➔ High Speed Rail?

➔ Draft in December?

Current Legislative Update

•

Previous authorization (SAFETEA-LU) expired September 30, 2009, extended 4 times, most recently in “Jobs Bill 1” until December 31, 2010

•

House bill (Surface Transportation Authorization Act, or STAA) from Chairman Oberstar heard in subcommittee in June 2009

•

No transportation bill yet on Senate side – probably writing in next few months, possibly lame duck? If not then, most likely before May/June 2011

•

2011 Appropriations bill for Transportation, Housing & Urban Development (THUD) pending

Flickr user: garyisajoke

Obama Initiative

➔ ➔ • • • • On Labor Day, President Obama unveiled 6 years ROADS: Rebuild 150,000 miles of roads – renewing our commitment to the backbone of our transportation system; RAILWAYS: Construct and maintain 4,000 miles of rail – enough to go coast-to coast RUNWAYS: Rehabilitate or reconstruct 150 miles of runway – while putting in place a NextGen system that will reduce delays.

Could spur job growth as early as next year IF Congress approves……….

Great quote from Streetsblog: On Labor Day, President Obama put transportation near the top of his agenda by calling on Congress to tackle stagnant job growth by repairing and upgrading infrastructure. He asked Congress to ramp up investment in roads and rail, create a federal infrastructure bank that would help fund large and complex projects, reform the Balkanized structure of federal transportation spending programs, and make the nation’s transportation system safer and more livable. Advocates for shifting away from the highway-centric effects of current federal policy were encouraged by Obama’s use of the word “reform,” and the lack of any mention of expanding highways .

Obama Initiative

➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ An up-front investment. The President will work with Congress to enact a new up-front investment in our nation’s infrastructure – an investment that would help jump-start additional job creation, while also laying the foundation for future growth. This initial investment would fund improvements in the nation’s surface transportation, as well as our airports and air traffic control system. A vision for the future. The President proposes to pair this with a long-term framework to reform and expand our nation’s investment in transportation infrastructure. Since the end of last year, when the last long-term surface transportation legislation expired, these investments have been continued on a temporary basis, even as the trust fund to finance them has fallen into insolvency.

If we are to enjoy the benefits that come from a world-class transportation system, Congress must enact a long-term reauthorization that expands and reforms our infrastructure investments and returns the transportation trust fund to solvency. To jumpstart job creation, this long-run policy front-loads – through a $50 billion up-front investment – a significant share of the new infrastructure resources. As with other long-run policies, the Administration is committed to working with Congress to fully pay for the plan.

Campaign Strategies

• Make clear asks for “Highway and Bridge Repair” and transit funding for any jobs bill • Support strong transportation planning and funding provisions in climate bill • Support House bill and work for some modest improvements • Develop Senate champions and supporters for transformative Senate transportation bill •Work with champions and allies to support key marker bills •Find common ground to bring over or diminish previous opposition

Campaign Strategies

• Livable Communities Act (introduced) Marker bills • Active Transportation (introduced) • Complete Streets (introduced) •Safe Routes to School • Fix it First • Rural Transportation •National Transportation Objectives (performance measures) • Green Freight & Ports • Blueprint Planning

Midwest Strategies

• Key Senate Targets – include Durbin (IL), Klobuchar (MN), Voinivich and Brown (OH) • All Senators are Key • Key House Targets – include Oberstar (MN), Levin (MI) • Caucus Opportunities • Election Education Opportunities

Midwest Strategies

• High Speed Rail • Rural Issues (incl. Livability) • Jobs • Freight Issues • New Starts • Transit funding • Active Transportation/Health • Climate • State of Good Repair • Others?

WHO WE ARE …and over 500 more, and growing.

http://t4america.org/who-we-are/

Join us at t4america.org

Contact Kathleen Woodruff at [email protected]

Work with Us!

Flickr user: tallkev