Several members of the Rural Transportation Policy Group have supported a statement about transportation investment issued by the Equity Caucus of Transportation for America. The statement was issued in response to the president’s State of the Union address. The Rural Transportation Policy Group, which is composed of Rural Assembly organizations and other allies, wanted to share this statement from the Equity Caucus with you
Statement by the Equity Caucus at Transportation for America
on President Obama’s State of the Union Address
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2011
Washington, DC—We applaud President Obama’s State of the Union call for smart, targeted transportation investments that connect all Americans to opportunity.
The infrastructure Americans build, operate, and repair today will create jobs now and lay the foundation for a competitive and prosperous tomorrow. But our inadequate, outdated, and underfunded transportation systems are keeping too many struggling Americans—young and old, rural and urban—from fully connecting and contributing to the national economy.
Millions of Americans rely exclusively on public transit, walking, or biking to get to work, to the doctor’s office, to school, and to the grocery store. Nearly 20 percent of African American households, 14 percent of Latino households, and 13 percent of Asian households live without a car. Fifteen percent of Native Americans must travel more than 100 miles to access basic services.
Smarter transportation investments can unleash the under-realized economic power of communities across America.
We look forward to working with President Obama and Congress to move forward a surface transportation authorization in 2011 with investments that:
- Create affordable and flexible transportation options for everyone, regardless of income, race, age, disability, or background;
- Create, protect, and ensure fair access to quality jobs, training, and contracting opportunities in the transportation industry;
- Promote healthy, safe, and inclusive communities with housing opportunities for families of all incomes; and
- Encourage fair and transparent investment of public dollars invested in transportation.
The American people want these changes, too. A recent Transportation for America poll revealed that more than two-thirds say they “would like more transportation options.”
By investing in transportation projects, America can get people back to work now, lay a strong foundation for future economic growth, and expand opportunity for millions of people. But we must target our investments equitably to the people and places that need them the most.
Americans are ready to get back to work building our future.
- Alliance for Biking & Walking
- Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
- Alternatives for Community & Environment
- Amalgamated Transit Union
- America Bikes
- American Public Health Association
- Apollo Alliance
- Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living
- Center for Community Change
- Center for Rural Strategies
- Center for Social Inclusion
- Change to Win
- CLASP
- Coalition for the Advancement of Regional Transportation
- Coalition on Human Needs
- Coalition on Regional Equity
- Conservation Law Foundation
- Developing Communities Project
- Enterprise Community Partners
- Equity Atlanta
- Gamaliel Foundation
- Good Jobs First
- Green for All
- Greenlining Institute
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
- Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
- Labor/Community Strategy Center and Bus Riders Union
- Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
- Little Village Environmental Justice Organization
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation
- Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
- Low Income Investment Fund
- Massachusetts Public Health Association
- Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
- NAACP
- NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations
- National Association of County and City Health Officials
- National Center for Bicycling & Walking / Active Living Resource Center
- National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
- National Complete Streets Coalition
- National Congress of American Indians
- National Council of La Raza
- National Fair Housing Alliance
- National Housing Conference
- National Housing Trust
- National Low Income Housing Coalition
- National Urban League
- National Wildlife Foundation
- Opportunity Agenda
- Partnership for Working Families
- PolicyLink
- Poverty & Race Research Action Council
- Public Advocates
- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
- Reconnecting America
- Redwood Coast Rural Action
- Safe Routes to School National Partnership
- Smart Growth America
- TransForm
- Transit Riders for Public Transportation
- Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO
- Transportation Equity Network
- Transportation for America
- Trust for America’s Health
- Ubuntu Green
- U.S. Public Interest Research Group
- Urban Habitat
- Wider Opportunities for Women
- William C. Velásquez Institute
- YouthBuild USA
