Articles from February 2011

February 23, 2011 Edit

Federal Transportation Hearing Talking Points

Affordability: We need transportation options to help us save on transportation costs.
Americans spend nearly 20 percent of their income on transportation – second only to housing as an overall portion of income – and are punished heavily by volatile swings in the oil market. The poorest fifth of Americans spend 42% of their annual household budget on automobile ownership. For many working households, the goal of affordable living is becoming less attainable as fuel prices and trip lengths increase due to a lack of transportation options and worsening sprawl.

Smart investment: Investing in transit can help spur economic growth.
Every $10 million in capital investment in public transportation yields $30 million in increased business sales and also saves $15 million in transportation costs for both highway and transit users.

Job Creation: Investing in transportation, especially transit, creates jobs.
Investing in transit and rail creates more jobs than any other form of transportation investment. Road repair work generates 16% more jobs per dollar than new road construction. Transit investment generates 31% more jobs. Furthermore, transit investment produces good family wage jobs in a variety of fields: vehicle operators, mechanics, construction trades, and vehicle manufacturing. Bike and pedestrian projects also out perform road construction in job creation per dollar invested.

Health: Investing in transit and ensuring that it is safe for people to walk and bike makes us healthier.
A 2004 study found than for every additional hour spent commuting by car there was a 6% increase in the likelihood of obesity. In contrast, walking and biking are associated with lower rates of obesity. For every additional kilometer walked there was an approximate 5% reduction in obesity.

Smarter Planning: Through strategic planning, we can make sure to get the transportation system that meets our needs for the least possible cost.
Over 80 cities and towns across the U.S. use performance-based planning to chart smart
futures, connecting growth with transportation investments and the environment on a
regional basis. Sacramento region is saving $9 billion in infrastructure costs over two decades because of their plan for compact growth. The Portland metro region is starting the process.

It is important that your personal story and voice come through in your written comments. Questions to consider:

How do you get to work, school, shopping or recreational activities?

What are the challenges that make it hard to get where you need to go?

What makes it easier to get around your community?

CTOD, Denver Post, Charlotte Observer
PolicyLink. “Making Equity Central to Federal Transportation Policy,” Working title for April 2009 release. P olicyLink and Prevention Institute. “Transportation Equity and Health: A Synthesis 1. of Research and Policy Strategies,” working title for May 2009 release (Commissioned by the Healthy Eating, Active Living Convergence Partnership).
APTA and Public Transit Partnership for Tomorrow, “The Benefits of Public Transportation: Essential Support for a Strong Economy,”
Heintz, J., Pollin, R. and Garrett‐Peltier, H. (2009). How Infrastructure Investments Support the U.S. Economy: Employment, Productivity and Growth. Political Economy Research Institute. University of Massachusetts at Amherst. www.peri.umass.edu/236/hash/efc9f7456a/publication/333/.
Garrett-Peltier, Heidi. 2010. Estimating Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle and Road Infrastructure. Political Economic Research Institute. http://www.bikeleague.org/resources/reports/pdfs/baltimore_Dec20.pdf.

February 16, 2011 Edit

Opportunity: Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program

Opportunity: Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program
Submit your Letter of Interest to EPA

Many communities around the country are asking for tools and resources to help them achieve their desired development goals, improve the quality of life for their residents, and make their communities more economically and environmentally sustainable. In response to this demand, EPA developed the Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program.

The Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program seeks to provide quick, targeted technical assistance to 20 communities using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and widespread application. This technical assistance will help selected local and/or tribal governments to implement development approaches that protect the environment, improve public health, create jobs, expand economic opportunity, and improve overall quality of life.

Each technical assistance project in a community will include:

* Public engagement — for example, a one-day workshop that is open to the general public.
* Direct consultation with relevant decision-makers.
* A memo outlining specific steps the community could take if it wants to implement the ideas generated during the site visit.

Among the tools that will be used are zoning code reviews, walkability assessments, parking policy analysis, climate action planning, commuter benefits, complete streets, and fiscal and economic tools.

Landscape architects are well positioned use your expertise to help your communities. We urge you to have your community submit a short letter of interest on or before February 23, 2011.

To learn more see the Letter for Requests from the EPA Office of Smart Growth

New to the ASLA Advocacy Network? Join us on February 24 at 1:00 PM EDT for a brief training session. Stay tuned for more information.

For more on ASLA Advocacy
asla.org/advocacy