Transportation

Statement by Phineas Baxandall, RIPIRG’s Senior Transportation Analyst, regarding the disappointing federal Transportation Bill as released from conference committee today.

A new report released today by RIPIRG, authored by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund and the Frontier Group, demonstrates that Americans have been driving less since the middle of last decade. The report, Transportation and the New Generation: Why Young People are Driving Less and What it Means for Transportation Policy, shows that young people in particular are decreasing the amount they drive and increasing their use of transportation alternatives.

While rail ridership increased by record numbers, House legislation introduced late last week would invest $14.4 billion to promote rail travel, relieve bottlenecks and begin investment in a new generation of high speed rail. The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (HR 6003) would invest $14.4 billion over five years.

Efforts to improve Rhode Island’s public transit system received a boost today as Providence Mayor Cicilline, Lincoln Senator Connors, the Sierra Club and other supporters held an event at Waterplace Park calling for approval of financing and citing a major new report on oil savings and other benefits from public transportation across the country. The RIPIRG report, A Better Way to Go: Meeting America’s 21 st Century Transportation Challenges with Modern Public Transit, examines the challenges faced by America’s transportation system and the benefits of existing rail and bus projects in Rhode Island and other Southern New England states.