Current Actions

Transportation secretary Ray LaHood said the House bill takes us back to the "horse and buggy" era, and is the worst transportation bill he's seen in 30 years in Washington.

Gas prices are on the way up. House Speaker John Boehner said this to the media this week:

ABC News reported last night that we will soon see $4-a-gallon gas prices. Maybe higher. Certainly, this summer will see the highest gas prices in years. Your constituents saw that report, and they’ll be talking about it. When they do, tell them about this bill that we’re working on.”

So why does the bill he's talking about, the House's $260 billion dollar transportation bill, eliminate dedicated funding for public transportation across the country and eliminate the tiny amount of funding that helps make dangerous streets and roads safer for children and others on foot or bike? These are exactly the kinds of transportation options that millions of us depend on — and the kind of options that rescue us from being held hostage to high gas prices.

But being held hostage to high gas prices appears to be exactly what the House leadership wants.

The House is debating this bill right now. Send a message to your representative with the form below and urge them to vote “NO” on H.R. 7. Don't decimate public transit and make sure we have options for getting around!

Senate amendment would help local governments make their streets safer
A critical amendment before the Senate right now would give local governments more control over a share of state transportation dollars, giving them a greater voice and access to the money they can use to revitalize their main streets, improve public health, and make streets safer for everyone who needs to use them.

Tell your Senators to sponsor and support the Cardin-Cochran amendment to the transportation bill that would give local governments a large say over a small share of their state’s transportation dollars.

Send a message to your representative with the form below.
Speak out for Main Streets in the Senate transportation bill
The Senate has begun working on its version of the long overdue reauthorization of the surface transportation bill. We need your help to make it as strong as possible.

A bipartisan amendment sponsored by Senator Cardin of Maryland and Senator Cochran of Mississippi would give local governments more control over a share of state transportation dollars, giving them a greater voice and more direct access to money for projects like main street revitalization.

Use the form below to send a message to your Senators.

The House transportation bill, which determines what kind of transportation system we'll spend billions building and investing over the next 5 years, is nearing a vote,

But this version in the House would eliminate dedicated funding for public transportation, kill the tiny amount of funding that helps make dangerous streets and roads safer for children and others on foot or bike, and fail to do enough to fix our decaying bridges and roads or provide people more options for getting around. With the House planning to vote on this bill any day now, we need to send a message loud and clear that the House must scrap this bad bill and start over. Want to know more about the transportation bill first?

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Enter your zip code to find your legislator and their phone number. Dial the phone number. Then you can leave this message below with whomever answers the phone, or ask to speak to the legislative associate who handles transportation and leave the message. After you’re done, click “SEND YOUR MESSAGE” to report your call to us. (This sends a message only to us to let us know that you called.)

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I live in [PLACE]. I’m calling to ask Representative [NAME] to vote “NO” on HR 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.

This bill would eliminate dedicated funding for public transportation and deprive my community of the tiny amount of funding that helps make our dangerous streets and roads safer for children and others on foot or bicycle. It does not do enough to fix our bridges and roads or provide people more options for getting around. It also does too little to put Americans back to work at this difficult time and create the jobs we desperately need.

We desperately do need an updated federal transportation bill, but this proposal advanced by the House is not it.

Thank you for your time.

The House will soon vote on their transportation bill that would eliminate dedicated funding for transit, eliminate the money that makes dangerous streets and roads safer for people on foot or bike, and do far too little to fix our bridges and roads. We need to send a message loud and clear that the House must scrap this bad bill and start over. Make a phone call today.

Enter your zip code below to find your legislator and their phone number. Dial the number. Then leave this message below with whomever answers the phone, or you can ask to speak to the legislative associate who handles transportation and leave the message.

After you’re done, please click “SEND YOUR MESSAGE” at the bottom to report your call to us. (This just sends a message to us to let us know that you called.)

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I live in [PLACE]. I’m calling to ask Representative [NAME] to vote “NO” on HR 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.

This bill would eliminate dedicated funding for public transportation and deprive my community of the tiny amount of funding that helps make our dangerous streets and roads safer for children and others on foot or bicycle. It does not do enough to fix our bridges and roads or provide people more options for getting around. It also does too little to put Americans back to work at this difficult time and create the jobs we desperately need.

We desperately do need an updated federal transportation bill, but this proposal advanced by the House is not it.

Thank you for your time.

House ignores broad opposition, decimates public transit anyway — oppose HR 7!
The House transportation bill would eliminate dedicated funding for public transportation and the tiny amount of funding that helps make dangerous streets and roads safer for children and others on foot or bike.

And it does not go far enough to fix our bridges and roads or provide people more options for getting around.

Send a message to your representative with the form below and urge them to vote “NO” on H.R. 7.
House leadership makes unprecedented assault on public transit

Will we be forever waiting for the bus after Friday morning? Or just tossed under it?

Flickr photo by Dave Kellam

A key House Committee is threatening to kill three decades of successful investments in mass transit – originally started under President Ronald Reagan -- by ending the guarantee for dedicated funding for public transportation.

The House leadership is making unprecedented attack on transit.

In a shocking assault on transit that rolls back 30+ years of bipartisan federal transportation policy and reverses a decision made by President Reagan in the 1980’s, House leadership has proposed killing dedicated funding for the Mass Transit Account. No more guarantee of funding each year and no long-term stability for public transportation. States, cities, communities and their transit systems could lose billions.

Send a message to your representative with the form below.
House Bill slashes safety funding, but there’s a chance to fix it
Today the House released its transportation bill to the public. We’re still reading and evaluating the overall bill, but we have a chance in the next 24 hours to help fix our bridges, and restore the dedicated funding that makes our roads safer for people on foot or bike, which was eliminated.

The bill fails to require states to put a priority on fixing the country’s 69,000 bridges before spending money on new highways. In just the next 48 hours before the committee votes, there will be more than 565 million trips taken across deficient bridges in the U.S. That’s enough cars to line them up end to end from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C and back....267 times.

And just last year, pedestrian deaths increased while car deaths dropped. Yet this bill eliminates the tiny slice of dedicated funding that helps make streets safer for everyone, and it makes it optional for states to fix roads that are dangerous to people on foot or bicycle.

Two amendments could help fix these problems with the bill, but they won't pass without strong support from people like you across the country.
Tell your Senators: no more blank checks for transportation without accountability
In these times of shrinking state budgets and financial downturns, it's more important than ever to know exactly what our scarce transportation dollars are buying. After spending of billions of dollars each year, taxpayers want to know: "Are we better off now than last year? Are we safer on our roads? Are our bridges in better condition than ten years ago? Can more people get from A to B quickly, reliably and affordably? Is our transportation system creating more pollution or less?

Take just a minute and tell your Senators you're counting on them: no more blank checks for transportation without accountability, goals and objectives.
Senate committee approves bill to improve accountability, make streets safer
Last week, the Senate Commerce committee passed a bill to create and implement goals and objectives for the overall transportation bill, update our federal freight transportation policy, and approved an amendment to help ensure that federal dollars help build streets that are safe for all users. This was a big win on an important vote!

Help make sure that these Senators hear a few messages of thanks for doing the right thing — and know that we expect them to support these provisions in 2012. Can you take just a moment and send them a message of thanks?
Tell Congress to support the EPA's Office of Sustainable Communities in 2012
If new development threatened to pollute your drinking water, who would you look to for help? If your children had to walk past a contaminated empty lot on their way to school, how would you go about fixing it?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities helps towns and cities address problems just like these. These issues pose a threat not only to our health but to our economy too, and the Office of Sustainable Communities helps local leaders protect both.

Take a moment to voice your support for the EPA: Use the form below to send a letter to your Members of Congress.
Extend the transit benefit and make it equal to parking benefit
Come January, if you spend more than $120 a month on your commute in a vanpool, train or bus, the federal government will be sending a message loud and clear: they’d like you to start driving to work, where you can get $230 for parking deducted from your paycheck tax free.

Transportation is the second largest household expense for many households. The millions of Americans who depend on transit to get to work each day shouldn’t have to pay more to do something that also saves us energy, reduces congestion and emissions, and uses less oil.

It’s an unfortunate replay of exactly what happened at the end of 2010 when the benefit was due to expire before being extended at the 11th hour.

Let’s let Congress know they need to keep the transit benefit from being slashed in half.

A family on an eastbound MARTA rapid rail train in Atlanta. MARTA has experienced drastic cuts in service over the last 3 years.

Eastbound Originally uploaded by robholland

Even when gas prices spike or demand for public transportation is through the roof, transit agencies in medium-sized and large metro areas aren’t allowed to use any of the federal dollars they receive to keep buses and trains running.

That needs to change, and the Senate committee that makes those rules is writing their portion of the Senate’s transportation bill right now. Send a message to your Senator on the Banking Committee and tell them to support flexibility for transit operations in their draft bill.

Public transportation is a driving force in our economy, and we need it now to help the economy rebound.

The Senate failed to kill funding for walking and biking. Tell your Senator "thanks" or "no thanks"
Senator Rand Paul made yet another attempt at eliminating the funding that goes to help people on foot or bike get around our communities safely, hoping to redirect it to repairing our bridges.

We do need to repair our 69,000 deficient bridges, but we don't have to choose between being safe when we walk or being safe when we drive over a bridge. Anyone who tells you otherwise has their own agenda; an agenda that has very little to do with actually repairing our bridges.

It's time for serious proposals from Congress to fix our crumbling bridges and infrastructure, rather than eliminating critical safety funding for people walking or biking in the name of grabbing a few extra pennies for our bridges.

Thankfully, Senator Paul’s amendment was rejected on the floor of the Senate on November 1. Write or call your Senators and tell them "thank you," or express your disappointment at how they voted on Senator Paul’s amendment and urge them to support safety for everyone in the future.

After you enter your zip to load your Senators, the proper message will show up for each Senator based on how they voted. You can edit it if you like. For the breakdown of yes/no votes, click here.
Largest metro areas have more deficient bridges than the U.S. has McDonald’s. Congress can help fix that.
It's shocking that we continue to build new roads that we can't afford to maintain when you look at these startling facts: Our biggest metro regions have 18,000 deficient bridges; There are roughly 69,000 deficient bridges nationwide; Our roads are in such a bad state of repair that they cost drivers hundreds of dollars each year in repairs.

We need to make sure our money is going to good use - fixing what's broken first and taking care of our past investments.

A bill in the Senate by Senator Benjamin Cardin of Maryland is giving Congress a chance to do just that, prioritize maintenance of our existing roads and bridges. Tell your Senators to sponsor this important bill.

They need to get the message quickly that we’ve got to do a better job of fixing what we’ve already built.
Tell your Representative to preserve the Partnership for Sustainable Communities
The federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities creates jobs, strengthens communities and lays the groundwork to keep America economically competitive in the 21st century. The program has already helped towns, cities and regions across the United States grow in ways that strengthen local economies, but there's a chance these programs will be eliminated in 2012's federal budget.

Join the fight to keep our economy moving in the right direction: send a letter to your Representative using the form below.
Don’t let the Senate strip bike and pedestrian funding

Senator Coburn of Oklahoma is planning to ask Congress to eliminate the federal Transportation Enhancements program – the primary source for nearly all dedicated federal bike and pedestrian funding. His proposal will likely come up for a vote in a matter of days.

The program he hopes to zero out represents less than two percent of all federal transportation spending and has funded 20 years of sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, and trails. Eliminating that 2 percent is dangerously out of step with the facts: 14 percent of all traffic fatalities are people on foot or bike, and 12 percent of all trips are taken on foot or bike.

Ask your senators to defend the little money we invest in bike and pedestrian funding.
Take action: Partnership for Sustainable Communities in Real Danger

If the Senate cuts funding for the Sustainable Communities Initiative at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, we will lose a key component of the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities that creates jobs, strengthens communities and lays the groundwork to keep America economically competitive in the 21st century.

We can’t afford to do without the effective programs that are helping to rebuild our economy.

Join the fight to keep our economy moving in the right direction: Speak out today.
Letting the transportation law expire on Sept. 30 is a recipe for disaster
If Congress fails to act before the end of the month the federal transportation program will expire, and with it the gas tax. That means no federal funds for roads, bridge repair, or transportation options; thousands of American transportation and construction workers facing a stop in work or layoffs; and a loss of $1 billion in just 10 days.

Extending the gas tax and the rest of the transportation program ought to be a bipartisan no-brainer. But we can’t afford to assume that Congress will act swiftly without any pressure.

Remind your lawmakers they have a deadline to meet. Ask them to pass a clean extension of the transportation bill immediately.
Demand full pardon for Raquel Nelson
Raquel Nelson was charged with vehicular homicide when her son was killed by a hit-and-run driver while crossing the street from a bus stop to her apartment complex. A jury convicted her and the judge gave her a light sentence this week, but we think she should have never been charged. She has the option of a new trial, but it could all go away if the prosecutor refuses to try her again or she is pardoned of the initial conviction.

We’re partnering with other organizations and concerned individuals to gather as many signatures as possible on a petition demanding she be cleared of all charges. All the signatures will be delivered together to officials in Georgia.

(Read more about her story on our blog)
Help protect funding for the EPA's Office of Smart Growth
Smart growth strategies help communities build stronger economies for generations to come, but towns and regions often need help to make these plans a reality. The EPA’s Office of Smart Growth helps communities across the country implement these important goals – but we need your help to make sure the Office of Smart Growth receives funding next year.
Set priorities for the 21st century – Preserve roads and bridges, expand our options and hold agencies accountable for smarter investements
Late last week the House released the outline of their transportation bill, which would cut total transportation funding by one-third, kill the tiny slice of dedicated funding for safer walking and biking, slash transit funding and leave the repair of our crumbling roads and bridges to chance.

That is hardly a vision for the 21st century.

The Senate has a chance to do better this week with their version of the bill, but they need to hear from their constituents. We need strong, new priorities for this century: Preserve our existing highways and bridges. Expand the options that save money, time and energy. Hold states and regions accountable for smart planning and wise investment.

Send a message to your Senators today
Tell your Senators to support road repair and preservation
The Interstate Highway System just turned 55 years old, and many roads across the country are showing their age. Crumbling concrete, cracks and potholes might not only mean a rougher ride for American drivers – they pose a huge threat to the country’s transportation budget.

Better investments in repair will benefit of the national budget, businesses that rely on freight and drivers everywhere, and a new bill in the Senate would make upkeep of our roads and bridges a top national priority. Help us support the Preservation and Renewal of Federal-Aid Highways Act - use the form below to send a letter to your Senators.
Tell Governor Cuomo to sign the Land Bank Act!
The Land Bank Act will allow towns and cities to create land banks in New York State and help address the difficult problem of vacant and abandoned properties. If passed, the law would allow cities and counties to convert vacant, abandoned or tax-delinquent properties into productive use. These vacant properties could be redeveloped or resold in order to better balance the supply of buildings with the local demand for them.

The bill now faces a critical next step: it must be signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo. We’ve already helped this bill pass both the Assembly and the Senate. Help us see it through to law! Use the form below to send a letter to Governor Cuomo.
Tell us your story: 15.5 million seniors will have poor or non-existent transit access in 2015. How will it affect you?
By 2015, more than 15.5 million Americans 65 and older will live in communities where public transportation service is poor or non-existent. That number will continue to grow rapidly as the baby boom generation “ages in place” in suburbs and exurbs with few mobility options for those who do not drive.

How will we address the shrinking mobility options of baby boomers who wish to stay in their homes and “age in place?” What happens when people in the largest generation in American history outlive their ability to drive for everything?

We want to know how the lack of transit access or other options affects you. Whether you're a senior or have a parent or grandparent getting older in places with poor transportation options, we want to hear real stories of how this will affect real people in the coming years. With Congress set to introduce a transportation bill that will determine how to spend our transportation money for the next 6 years, the time is now to speak up about how these decisions will impact real people.
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Roads and bridges are crumbling. Congress can help fix them
Whether one looks at the 69,000 deficient bridges or the sorry condition of our roads that cost drivers hundreds of dollars each year in repairs, there’s plenty of evidence that our existing infrastructure is cracking and crumbling due to deferred maintenance, while we continue to build new roads we can’t afford to maintain.

Congress has a chance to make sure that we prioritize the maintenance of our existing roads and bridges with a bill introduced just this week in the Senate. With the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee expected to release their draft of the transportation bill next week, we’ve got just a few short days to signal our strong support for this important legislation.

Tell your Senators to sponsor this important bill. They need to get the message quickly that we’ve got to do a better job of fixing what we’ve already built.
Tell Senator Boxer you're counting on her
Will we continue to prioritize the movement of cars over the safety of people? Will we continue neglecting glaring maintenance needs to build yet more roads and bridges we can’t afford to repair? Will we dial back our nation’s transportation policy to 1990 and refuse to invest in the travel options Americans so desperately want and need?

These are the decisions being made over the next week. And as a Californian, you have a particularly key role to play because Senator Barbara Boxer co-leads that committee and is one of the four lead authors of the bill.

We need your help to tell her that Californians are counting on her to fix their state’s transportation system. Send Senator Boxer a letter today!
Tell Senator Boxer you're counting on her
Will we continue to prioritize the safety of people over the movement of cars? Will we continue neglecting glaring maintenance needs to build yet more roads and bridges we can’t afford to repair? Will we dial back our nation’s transportation policy to 1990 and refuse to invest in the travel options Americans so desperately want and need?

These are the decisions being made over the next week. And as a Californian, you have a particularly key role to play because Senator Barbara Boxer co-leads that committee and is one of the four lead authors of the bill.

We need your help to tell her that Californians are counting on her to fix their state’s transportation system. Send Senator Boxer a letter today!
Complete Streets would help curb preventable pedestrian deaths
From 2000 to 2009, 47,700 Americans were struck and killed while walking. Another 688,000 were injured in that same time period – meaning a pedestrian was hit by a car or truck every 7 minutes for the past ten years.

Two-thirds percent of these fatalities occurred on roads eligible to receive federal funding or with federal guidelines or oversight for their design. Shouldn’t our tax dollars result in safer streets for all users? A policy of giving federal support only to “complete streets,” designed for the safety of people on foot or bicycle as well as in cars would be a smart first step toward reducing these preventable deaths.

Tell your Senators and Representative to sponsor the newly-released Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2011. Complete Streets are a cost-effective way to improve safety and accessibility for everyone using the road. Complete Streets mean all users are considered at the outset of every transportation project, making walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation convenient, attractive, and safe choices.
Tell the New York State Legislature: Support the Land Bank Act!
Vacant and abandoned properties lower property values, cut into local tax revenues, and attract crime. In communities across New York, these blighted properties are depressing local economies, hampering redevelopment opportunities, and frustrating neighboring residents.

New York’s Land Bank Act (A00373/S663), currently pending in both the State Assembly and Senate, would provide a solution. By giving communities the ability to create an entity that could hold and manage problem properties, and return them to productive and income generating use, it would bolster local economies, and increase the safety, health, and vitality of struggling neighborhoods. And because it’s revenue neutral, the bill would do all of this without requiring any added taxpayer investment.

With so much on New York’s policy agenda, legislators need to hear from their constituents that the Land Bank Act should be a priority. Voice your support using the form below and help communities across the state access a new tool for reclaiming and revitalizing vacant properties.
Tell Congress: Don’t sacrifice the safety of people on foot or bikes
Thousands of Americans have been struck down in the simple act of walking, overwhelmingly on roads that are dangerous by design, with little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs or on a bicycle.

And it’s no wonder our streets are engineered like this. The federal government and many state departments of transportation have made a dangerous choice, prioritizing speeding traffic over the safety of people, even in our neighborhoods.

Congress is now on the verge of making the situation even worse. They're debating the elimination of the already meager funding for pedestrian and bike safety.

Tell them not to make such a short-sighted tradeoff. Protect and increase the funding to make our streets safe for all users.
Ask Your Member of Congress to Help Complete America's Streets!
Millions of Americans are walking, bicycling, and waiting for the bus along roads that are inadequate for their needs. These streets are incomplete - they lack sidewalks, safe space for bicycling, and make little accommodation for people who have disabilities. They hinder healthy, active lifestyles; limit transportation choices; and lead to more hard earned money going to fill up the gas tank. Worse, they are often dangerous for everyone.

We know how to design roads that are safe for everyone and beneficial for our communities. Yet, in most places, this is only done for ‘special’ projects. This needs to change.

Complete Streets are a cost-effective way to improve safety and accessibility for everyone using the road. Complete Streets mean all users are considered at the outset of every transportation project, making walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation convenient, attractive, and safe choices.

A federal complete streets policy will result in better roads around the country and better use of the billions of dollars invested every year in building and maintaining the transportation system. With the form below, write and tell your Members of Congress to support the Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2011, introduced in the House as H.R. 1780 and in the Senate as S. 1076.

You can edit or personalize the text of the email on the next page, which will help strengthen your message. Feel to add a story of your own from your community. Talk about local streets that are unsafe or the local demand for walking, biking, and safe, convenient places to use public transportation.
Tell the EPA: Don’t leave downtown in favor of sprawl!
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to move its Kansas regional offices out of downtown Kansas City, KS, to an office park nearly 20 miles outside of the city.

The EPA’s decision contradicts its own mission, hurts employees, hurts Kansas City and wastes taxpayer dollars. Leaving downtown in favor of sprawl will hurt both the environment and the economy of the region.

Speak out for smart growth: Tell the Environmental Protection Agency and the General Services Administration to stay in downtown Kansas City, KS. Send a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and GSA Commissioner Robert Peck using the form below.
Thank your Congressional Representatives for supporting the Partnership for Sustainable Communities
Thanks to the efforts of activists like you, the hard work of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress and White House leaders, the final federal budget for 2011 includes comprehensive funding for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Smart Growth America applauds the advocates and Members of Congress who made this happen!

Pass along these congratulations: thank your Member of Congress for passing a budget that includes funds for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Use the form below to send a letter to your Senators and Representative.
Sign the petition telling Congress it's time to Fix It!
Congress has passed one extension after another to the expired transportation law, repeatedly punting on reforming the way we fund and build infrastructure. Meanwhile, our roads are congested, our bridges are crumbling, our infrastructure is failing, we don’t have options to get safely where we need to go, and we’re paying sky-high gas prices. It is time to Fix It!

Fixing it starts with adequately maintaining the systems we have and ensuring there's transparency and accountability for the money we spend. And it means making responsible investments in safer streets and better transportation options.

Working with our coalition partners, we’re making the case in Washington, DC. But we can’t make that case without your voice. Add your name to the petition today!
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Fix It For America
Your senators are the key to restoring key California transportation projects
Although their first try was pushed back, the House is looking again to make deep transportation cuts that will directly affect California. Nearly $1 billion for high speed rail and the East Bay Bike/Ped network are just a few of the projects that could be cut if the Senate doesn't fight back against House cuts

Your senators are going to be particularly important when the final budget comes up for a vote soon. They need to hear that you want them to restore these programs. Don't wait – email your senators today!
Your senators are the key to restoring key Florida transportation projects
Although their first try was pushed back, the House is looking again to make deep transportation cuts that will directly affect Florida. The Parramore bus rapid transit in Orlando and the Port of Miami rail access project are just a few of the projects that will be cut if the Senate doesn't fight back against House cuts.

Your senators are going to be particularly important when the final budget comes up for a vote soon. They need to hear that you want them to restore these programs. Don't wait – email your senators today!
Your senators are the key to restoring key Illinois transportation programs
Although their first try was pushed back, the House is looking again to make deep transportation cuts that will directly affect Illinois. The Moline Multimodal center and $137 million for high-speed rail are just a few of the projects that will be cut if the Senate doesn't fight back against House cuts.

Your senators are going to be particularly important when the final budget comes up for a vote soon. They need to hear that you want them to restore these programs. Don't wait – email your senators today!
Your senators are the key to restoring key transportation programs
Although their first try was pushed back, the House is looking again to make deep transportation cuts that will directly affect Pennsylvania. The Dilworth Plaza improvements in Philly and $26 million in high-speed rail funding are just a few of the projects that will be cut if the Senate doesn't fight back against House cuts.

Your senators are going to be particularly important when the final budget comes up for a vote soon. They need to hear that you want them to restore these programs. Don't wait – email your senators today!
Your senators are the key to restoring key transportation programs
Although their first try was pushed back, the House is looking again to make deep transportation cuts that will directly affect Texas. The Tower 55 freight rail project and $9.6 million in high-speed rail funding are just a few of the projects that will be cut if the Senate doesn't fight back against House cuts.

Your senators are going to be particularly important when the final budget comes up for a vote soon. They need to hear that you want them to restore these programs. Don't wait – email your senators today!
Your senators are the key to restoring key transportation programs
Although their first try was pushed back, the House is looking again to make deep transportation cuts that will directly affect Virginia. $120 million in high speed rail could be eliminated, and the Dulles Metrorail corridor could see its federal funds slowed down if the Senate doesn't fight back against House cuts.

Your senators are going to be particularly important when the final budget comes up for a vote soon. They need to hear that you want them to restore these programs. Don't wait – email your senators today!
Your senators are the key to restoring key transportation programs
Although their first try was pushed back, the House is looking again to make deep transportation cuts that will directly affect Washington. $782 million in high-speed rail funding and Seattle's South Park bridge replacement are just a few of the projects that will be cut if the Senate doesn't fight back against House cuts.

Your senators are going to be particularly important when the final budget comes up for a vote soon. They need to hear that you want them to restore these programs. Don't wait – email your senators today!
Don’t let them gut our transportation progress
Although their first try was pushed back, the House is looking again to make deep transportation cuts that will directly affect many important projects in our states. High-speed rail, an innvoative grant program (TIGER) and new transit construction were among the programs either targeted for deep cuts or complete elimination. Cutting or delaying the projects already underway could result in lay-offs of good paying jobs for the construction industry, already the hardest hit industry of this recession.

We need your help to make sure the Senate restores these programs. We have just a short window to make it clear to our senators that Americans rely on these transportation programs and don’t want to see them cut. Email your senators today!
Speak out for smart growth at the federal level
Cuts to programs like the Partnership for Sustainable Communities are short-sighted solutions to the country’s budget shortfall, and ones which would stunt the economic growth of regions currently benefitting from the program. Many of the programs on the chopping block make the most of federal funds by leveraging private sector investment, saving money for municipal budgets and helping families save on things like transportation – all while creating jobs.

Speak out for these important federal programs. Send a letter to your Members of Congress using the form below:
Take action: Sustainable Communities funding on the chopping block
Leaders in the House of Representatives this week declared their plans to cut funds to the Sustainable Communities Initiative and TIGER II program. These key programs in the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities create jobs, strengthen communities and lay the groundwork to keep America competitive in the 21st century.

In a time of financial straits, it is unacceptable that effective programs that help rebuild our economy are being considered for elimination. Programs under threat in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities create more jobs per dollar spent and help rebuild our economy. Smart Growth America is working hard to prevent these cuts, but we need your help.

Join the fight to preserve funding for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities: Speak out today.
Tell Congress: Don’t balance the budget at the cost of our communities
Leaders in the House of Representatives this week declared their plans to cut funds to many key programs that create jobs, strengthen communities and lay the groundwork to keep America competitive in the 21st century.

In a time of financial straits, it is unacceptable that effective programs that help rebuild our economy are being considered for elimination. Smart growth programs like the ones under threat create more jobs per dollar spent and help rebuild our economy. Smart Growth America is working hard to prevent these cuts, but we need your help.

Join the fight to keep our economy moving in the right direction: Speak out today.
Budget that guts transit funding moving in Congress this week
The House of Representatives will start voting on their budget for the rest of 2011 this week. And right now, high-speed rail, new public transportation construction, and an innovative program (TIGER) that helps reduce emissions and provide more transportation options are all due to receive large cuts or be eliminated completely.

We need your help to make sure Congress knows that their constituents rely on these transportation programs and don’t want to see them cut. Americans want Congress to come together to invest in transportation to fix our system, give us safe streets and more transportation options — and this proposal is a big step in the opposite direction. Email your representative today!
Proposed budget guts transit funding - don’t let it become law
The budget proposal from the Republican Study Committee, which consists of 165 of the 242 GOP House members, calls for completely eliminating the main federal transit program, zeroes out Amtrak, cuts all funding for the metro system in the nation’s capital and slashes $2.5 billion in high-speed rail grants.

Help us keep this proposal from becoming law – sign on to our letter below and let your legislators know that Americans rely on these transportation programs and don’t want to see them cut.
Help save the Iowa City-Chicago rail link

The proposed rail link from Chicago to Iowa City is in immediate danger of being cut. Decisions being made right now in the Iowa State House are putting that line in jeopardy, and we need your help to save it! The timing is urgent! The House already approved a bill this week to defund the $10 million that Iowa has already pledged to the line, and the Senate will be taking action soon, potentially even today.

The portion of the line from Chicago to Iowa City received a $230 million TIGER grant in 2010 from the U.S. Department of Transportation, backed by commitments from both states to provide a modest contribution. 60 members of the State House voted for a motion to take away the money Iowa has already committed to the line. Now it moves to the Senate. Business leaders and local leaders across Iowa support this important rail link. Voice your support today!
Tell President Obama: Call for smarter transportation policy next week
The President’s State of the Union address lays out his policy agenda for the year. If President Obama is serious about passing transportation reform this year – his administration is planning to release a proposal in February – he needs to kickstart it with a strong call for action and a clear plan for reform in next week’s address.

We're hearing that the President plans to talk about transportation next Tuesday, leading up to a proposed spending plan and policy blueprint in February – but we can’t leave it to chance. We need your help to make sure the message is clear: we need a new plan for the future. We need Presidential leadership in order to take a step forward with transportation, and we need to start now.
Make a phone call: Congress saves tax benefits for transit users
Congress extended the expiring tax benefit for transit users through 2011, keeping it at the current $230 a month — and keeping it equal with the $230 parking benefit.

The tax benefit for transit commuters was due to be cut in half on Jan. 1, down to $120 from $230 — the amount of the current parking benefit. Help us raise the visibility of this valued benefit for American commuters. Call your senators and representative and tell them thanks for extending this benefit.
1. Your senators’ and representative’s phone numbers should be on this page if you entered your zip code or address info.
2. Tell them thanks, and tell them why this benefit is important. We all benefit when more people use public transportation and it’s only fair that transit commuters and drivers have access to the same tax benefits. We need to help keep more money in our pockets — no matter how we choose to get to work.
3. Once you've called, please click the "Submit" button on this page to let us know you made your call. (If you like, you can use the box below to tell us how your call went. What did your representative's staff person say?)
(More than 8,000 people — including many of you — signed the Commuter Nation petition that was delivered to Congress about this issue.)
Ask Your Member of Congress to Help Complete America's Streets!
Millions of Americans are walking, bicycling, and waiting for the bus along roads that are inadequate for their needs. These streest are incomplete - they lack sidewalks, safe space for bicycling, and make little accommodation ofr people who have disabilities. They hinder healthy, active lifestyles, limit transportation choices, and lead to more hard earned money going to fill up the gas tank. Worst, they are often dangerous for everyone.

We know how to design roads that are safe for everyone and beneficial for our communities. Yet, in most places, this is only done for ‘special’ projects. This needs to change.

Complete Streets are a cost-effective way to improve safety and accessibility for everyone using the road. Complete Streets mean all users are considered at the outset of every transportation project, making walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation convenient, attractive, and safe choices.

A federal complete streets policy will result in better roads around the country and better use of the billions of dollars invested every year in building and maintaining the transportation system. With the form below, write and tell your Members of Congress to support a federal Complete Streets policy.

You can edit or personalize the text of the email on the next page, which will help strengthen your message. Feel to add a story of your own from your community. Talk about local streets that are unsafe or the local demand for walking, biking, and safe, convenient places to use public transportation.
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Obama continues stumping for transportation – tell Congress to follow his lead
The clock is ticking. Is Congress on it?

In a speech Monday that made national headlines, the President released a report from his key economic advisers making a strong case for transportation: Now is the time to make a transformational investment that will create jobs, give us transportation options, cut our household expenses and build the 21st century network that our competitors are already building.

Our economy is still in the tank. Construction unemployment is twice the national rate. We’re stuck in traffic without any other options. We’re paying double for transportation what we spend on food and we urgently need less costly options. With costs low and workers sitting idle, the time is now to pass a robust investment in transportation.

Tell Congress to turn this plan into reality. Tell them that smart investment in transportation is exactly what we need in our communities.
Obama continues stumping for transportation – tell Congress to follow his lead
The clock is ticking. Is Congress on it?

In a speech Monday that made national headlines, the President released a report from his key economic advisers making a strong case for transportation: Now is the time to make a transformational investment that will create jobs, give us transportation options, cut our household expenses and build the 21st century network that our competitors are already building.

Our economy is still in the tank. Construction unemployment is twice the national rate. We’re stuck in traffic without any other options. We’re paying double for transportation what we spend on food and we urgently need less costly options. With costs low and workers sitting idle, the time is now to pass a robust investment in transportation.

Tell Congress to turn this plan into reality. Tell them that smart investment in transportation is exactly what we need in our communities.
Support the Livable Communities Act
The Livable Communities Act would help communities across America plan for and create better and more affordable places to live, work, and raise families.

No two American communities are the same – and they require equally unique and innovative approaches to sustainable development – not one-size-fits-all solutions.

Livable communities mean access to public transportation, affordable housing, thriving Main Streets, and sensible environmental policies. The bill would provide our communities with the resources to plan for and meet their unique needs.

Tell your lawmakers to support the Livable Communities Act today!
Push your representative into the supporter column – send a letter today

Communities across the country are paralyzed by miles of streets and roads that are unsafe for people traveling by foot, bicycle, or public transit.

The Complete Streets Act would change our old road-building habits, and make sure our streets take all of us into account, not just cars.

Rep. LaTourette recently became the first Republican co-sponsor of the Complete Streets Act. Send a letter below asking your representative to follow his example.
Push your representative into the supporter column – send a letter today
Communities across the country are paralyzed by miles of streets and roads that are unsafe for people traveling by foot, bicycle, or public transit.

The Complete Streets Act would change our old road-building habits, and make sure our streets take all of us into account, not just cars.

Rep. LaTourette recently became the first Republican co-sponsor of the Complete Streets Act. Send a letter below asking your representative to follow his example.
Opportunity for All! Sign the Transportation Equity Pledge
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Mr. President, let's get the job done

President Obama's Labor Day speech laid the groundwork for smart long-term investments in transportation reform that would create jobs and put us on the path toward a 21st Century infrastructure.

Now, the real work begins.

Send a message to President Obama telling him to work with Congress to deliver a transportation bill that reduces our dependence on oil, creates American jobs and provides us with a transportation system that is accountable, sustainable and clean.
Protect bicycle and pedestrian projects in your state
Your state transportation agency is finalizing a list of cuts in the next day in order to comply with Congress' demand to send a total of $2.2 billion back to the federal government.

These cuts often fall disproportionately on bicycle and pedestrian projects. Now is the time to make sure your voice is heard in order to save these transportation projects from the chopping block.

Tell your governor not to unfairly cut programs to improve biking and walking!
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Protect bicycle and pedestrian projects in your state
Your state transportation agency is finalizing a list of cuts in the next day in order to comply with Congress' demand to send a total of $2.2 billion back to the federal government.

These cuts often fall disproportionately on bicycle and pedestrian projects. Now is the time to make sure your voice is heard in order to save these transportation projects from the chopping block.

Tell your governor not to unfairly cut programs to improve biking and walking!
Time's Up: Get moving on a transformational bill!
The clock is ticking. Is Congress on it?

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of this page for your own site?

Download and install the widget

Every six years, Congress sets the country’s transportation and infrastructure priorities – funding projects that shape our communities for generations. But when that multi-billion dollar legislation expired on September 30, 2009, lawmakers punted those decisions and have yet to come up with a new bill.

It’s time to let Congress know we’re keeping track of their continued delays and we’re tired of watching them simply extend America’s out-dated transportation policy. With an economy still struggling, we desperately need the boost that a renewed investment in infrastructure could provide.

Make sure your representatives and senators know that you expect big, bold change in the transportation bill. No more waiting, no more delays.

Thanks for calling your senator to tell them to vote YES on the Livable Communities Act in committee. Please fill out the form below to let us know you called.

If you haven't called yet, find your senator on the list below and make your call – it will only take a minute and it can make a huge difference! Tell the staffer that picks up the phone:

"Hi, I'm a constituent calling to ask the Senator to vote for the Livable Communities Act in committee. Thank you!"

Find out more about how the Livable Communities Act works.

State	Name	DC Phone	State	Name	DC Phone
Alabama	Richard Shelby	202-224-5744	New York	Charles Schumer	202-224-6542
Colorado	Michael Bennet	202-224-5852	Ohio	Sherrod Brown	202-224-2315
Connecticut	Christopher Dodd	202-224-2823	Oregon	Jeff Merkley	202-224-3753
Hawaii	Daniel Akaka	202-224-6361	Rhode Island	Jack Reed	202-224-4642
Idaho	Mike Crapo	202-224-6142	South Carolina	Jim DeMint	202-224-6121
Indiana	Evan Bayh	202-224-5623	South Dakota	Tim Johnson	202-224-5842
Kentucky	Jim Bunning	202-224-4343	Tennessee	Bob Corker	202-224-3344
Louisiana	David Vitter	202-224-4623	Texas	Kay Bailey Hutchison	202-224-5922
Montana	Jon Tester	202-224-2644	Utah	Robert Bennett	202-224-5444
Nebraska	Mike Johanns	202-224-4224	Virginia	Mark Warner	202-224-2023
New Hampshire	Judd Gregg	202-224-3324	Wisconsin	Herb Kohl	202-224-5653
New Jersey	Robert Menendez	202-224-4744

T4 Test Petition for CSS Styles
Around the country, public transportation systems are struggling to meet record demand with limited funding. Congress has the power to decide how we fund – and fix – transportation. But before it does, we need to make sure they understand how important reliable transit service is to the community members who depend on them every day.

Have you been affected by service cuts, increased fares or the endless delays of an under-funded system? Tell us what a canceled bus route or overcrowded train has done to your daily routine.

Share your story with us today and we’ll share it with Congress.

By sharing your story, you are joining the Transportation for America team. We will keep you updated with critical action alerts so you will never miss an opportunity to take action to get America moving again. Your privacy is important to us, so we won't sell or share your contact information with other organizations.
EPW Committee: Get moving!
Get it!
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Tired of long commutes? High gas prices? Unsafe and unrepaired roads?

As a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, your senator has the power to shape the transportation reauthorization bill that could put America on the path toward oil independence and revitalize our economy and communities.

Write your senator today to tell them to deliver a transportation bill that does away with old, inefficient policies and creates opportunities for a smart and sustainable future.
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Call for big, bold change
Every six years, Congress sets the country's transportation and infrastructure priorities—allocating hundreds of billions of dollars for projects that shape our communities for generations.

This year's reauthorization of the federal transportation bill is our country's best chance to create a system where cyclists and pedestrians are safe, trains are faster and run cleaner, public transportation is widely available and efficient, roads and bridges are in good repair, and Americans everywhere benefit from a smarter network of transportation alternatives. Our new platform shows our leaders how to use this extraordinary opportunity to create the 21st Century infrastructure we need.

Make sure your representatives and senators hear your voice—and the voices of thousands of regular Americans—calling out for big, bold change.
Call for big, bold change
Every six years, Congress sets the country's transportation and infrastructure priorities—allocating hundreds of billions of dollars for projects that shape our communities for generations.

This year's reauthorization of the federal transportation bill is our country's best chance to create a system where cyclists and pedestrians are safe, trains are faster and run cleaner, public transportation is widely available and efficient, roads and bridges are in good repair, and Americans everywhere benefit from a smarter network of transportation alternatives. Our new platform shows our leaders how to use this extraordinary opportunity to create the 21st Century infrastructure we need.

Make sure your representatives and senators hear your voice—and the voices of thousands of regular Americans—calling out for big, bold change.
Call for big, bold change
Every six years, Congress sets the country's transportation and infrastructure priorities—allocating hundreds of billions of dollars for projects that shape our communities for generations.

This year's reauthorization of the federal transportation bill is our country's best chance to create a system where cyclists and pedestrians are safe, trains are faster and run cleaner, public transportation is widely available and efficient, roads and bridges are in good repair, and Americans everywhere benefit from a smarter network of transportation alternatives. Our new platform shows our leaders how to use this extraordinary opportunity to create the 21st Century infrastructure we need.

Make sure your representatives and senators hear your voice—and the voices of thousands of regular Americans—calling out for big, bold change.
Tell Your Senators: Support Emergency Transit Funding

The Senate's newly introduced Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010 authorizes $2 billion in grants for transit agencies across the US for preserving service – and it couldn't come at a better time.

But every day the Senate waits to act, more cuts are adopted by desperate cash-strapped transit agencies around the country. We cannot afford to wait any longer!

Fill out the form below to tell your senators to support S. 3412 and keep America's transit systems running.
Find your Elected Officials
Not sure who represents you? Enter your Zip code to find your U.S. Senators and Representative, as well as your local legislators.

Don't know your Zip + 4? Click Here to find it.

The National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009, introduced by Representatives Carnahan (D-MO), Inslee (D-WA), and Holt (D-NJ) sets a bold new vision for federal transportation policy in order to address the current and future needs of our economy, energy, environment and health.

But their bill – and real reform – needs the support of many more Representatives to become the law of the land.

Take action now and ask your Representatives to become cosponsors of this critical legislation today.

But their bill – and real reform – needs the support of many more Representatives to become the law of the land.

Take action now and ask your Representatives to become cosponsors of this critical legislation today.

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Ask Your Member of Congress to Help Complete America's Streets!

Make them safe for people of all ages and abilities—whether walking, biking, taking transit, or driving.

Millions of Americans are walking, bicycling, and catching the bus along roads that are are inadequate. Incomplete streets are dangerous for everyone, hinder healthy, active lifestyles, limit transportation choices, and lead to more hard earned money going to fill up the gas tank.

We know how to design roads that are safe for everyone and beneficial for our communities. Yet, in most places, this is only done for ‘special’ projects. This needs to change.

Complete streets are a cost-effective way to improve safety and accessibility for everyone using the road. Complete streets mean all users are considered at the outset of every transportation project, making walking, bicycling, and taking transit more attractive choices and encouraging active lifestyles that will reap benefits for a generation.

A federal complete streets policy will result in better roads around the country and better use of the billions of dollars invested every year in building and maintaining the transportation system. With the form below, write and tell your representative to support federal complete streets legislation: S. 584 introduced by Senator Harkin (IA) and H.R. 1443 introduced by Representative Matsui (CA). If your Senators and Representative have already signed on as cosponsors, you'll be given the opportunity to thank them for their leadership.

You can edit or personalize the text of the email on the next page, which will help strengthen your message. Feel to add a story of your own from your community. Talk about local streets that are unsafe or the local demand for walking, biking, and safe, convenient places to use public transportation.

Let CARB know:

You support CARB's inclusion of better community design and reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), but the proposed reduction target (2 million miles) is way too low.

Major regions across the state are trying to do more, but need tools such as congestion pricing and indirect source rules, which are currently listed as "under evaluation."

We must take action on land use and reducing driving now in order to ensure that we can meet not just our 2020 targets, but also our 2050 targets. Public transportation is a critical part of the solution.

The state should direct infrastructure dollars toward transportation projects and programs that promote efficiency and sustainability.

Detailed information from Climate Plan is here, including talking points and more facts to help you write a message.

Make sure California doesn't back away from a plan to reduce dangerous emissions through investments in public transportation, better planning and smarter land use. Send a message with the form below.

Over the last year and a half, your state blazed a trail on addressing climate change with AB 32, California's plan to get statewide emissions back down below 1990 levels by 2020. Most notable was the fact that the plan contained a proposal to get 18 million metric tons of CO_² of the reductions through public transportation and smarter land use.

But just last month, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released its draft plan detailing how exactly the state will meet these ambitious targets. The draft fails to include meaningful measures to promote smart land use and public transportation. They've stripped out the 18 mmt target from the original language, and lowered that number to 2 million while omitting critical measures to create a world class public transportation system and encourage innovative transportation that can ease people's commutes and reduce their pain at the pump while also reducing emissions.

Let CARB know that they shouldn't be backing away from addressing the underlying issues of poorly-planned growth and auto dependence, which will not only result in more unnecessary pressure on other sectors to make cuts - but also continued pain from high gas prices after spending more of your public money on a drive-only landscape. Comments are due by August 1st.

After entering your zip code, enter your message in the box below. If you want to change the subject line, don't use one with a message like "Hello!" or anything you typically see in your junk mailbox to ensure it doesn't get caught in the spam filter.

Invest in a new direction
On November 4, Americans spoke out in favor of following a new direction. But our new direction can’t wait until January—Congress must act now to chart a new path for America’s transportation system.

Smart transportation investments will strengthen our economy, create jobs, reduce our dependence on oil, and make it easier for Americans to find the money to meet their growing transportation needs.

Fill out the fields below to send a strong message to your representative and senators: make sure the economic stimulus package makes the highest-impact transportation investments.

Current Actions

Ask Your Member of Congress to Help Complete America's Streets!