BEAVERTON MAYOR JOINS NATIONAL BIPARTISAN CAMPAIGN TO CALL FOR ACTION ON FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION BILL
News Release from City of Beaverton
Posted on FlashAlert: April 9th, 2015 11:42 AM
BEAVERTON, Ore. - As part of the national Stand Up for Transportation Day of Action with events across the country, Mayor Denny Doyle today called upon Congress to renew funding for the federal transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which is set to expire on May 31. Mayor Doyle joins a bipartisan group of more than 50 mayors on this day of action, along with 300 organizations across the country, representing more than 150 cities and spanning 40 states.
"Cities across the U.S., including Beaverton, need support from our leaders in Washington," said Mayor Doyle. "This bill is critical to maintain and improve our transportation network, which is vital for our local economy. I invite you to join me in encouraging Congress to take action and fund this bill."
In addition to mayors, a broad coalition of transportation providers, businesses, transportation system users, state partners and others are calling on Congress to pass a long-term transportation bill that increases investments in transportation infrastructure. At the national level, a new analysis from the American Public Transportation Association shows that more than $227 billion in economic productivity is at risk over the next six years without long-term federal investment in transit.
The country faces a $160 billion backlog just to bring public transit and road systems into a state of good repair. The lack of a long-term federal funding bill creates local funding uncertainty, which jeopardizes transportation project planning and discourages private sector investment. A lack of a commitment on the federal level stifles local business investment and job creation in Beaverton and nationwide.
A long-term, fully funded transportation bill must include robust investment for all modes of transportation. Transit ridership surged to 10.8 billion trips last year, Amtrak ridership continues to hit record highs, bicycle commuting has increased 60 percent since 2005, and national freight tonnage is projected to increase by 25 percent in the next decade.
Federal investment has not kept pace with this demand, resulting in an outdated, overburdened surface transportation system that is ill-equipped to handle current, let alone future, needs. Across the United States, public transit maintenance needs exceed $77 billion, and the nation's bridge backlog alone is an estimated $121 billion. The HTF, which funds most highway and transit spending, is almost depleted and the federal government is struggling to maintain the status quo, much less make new investments.
To learn more about Stand Up for Transportation Day, visit www.standup4trasnportation.org or follow the Day of Action on Twitter at #SU4T.
ABOUT BEAVERTON
Beaverton is a welcoming and responsible city that enjoys one of the most diverse populations in Oregon. In 2015, Beaverton was recognized as the safest city in the Pacific Northwest (according to CQ Press for cities more than 75,000). Recently, the city's award-winning finance department received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award as well as the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. In 2012, the city was awarded the Mayors' Climate Protection Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. It was named one of the 100 Best Places to Live in America by Money magazine and recognized as one of the best places to raise kids by BusinessWeek magazine. The city was named one of the top 25 Suburbs for Retirement by Forbes.com and one of the 100 Best Walking Cities in America by Prevention magazine. The city also received the Recycler of the Year award from the Association of Oregon Recyclers, named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, recei ved a Bronze Award Bicycle Friendly Community designation by the League of American Bicyclists, and recognized as one of the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Communities. Lastly, the city's nationally acclaimed visioning program was named Public Involvement Project of the Year--Best Planning Project by the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Cascade Chapter and also received the prestigious 3CMA Award of Excellence.
For more information, reminders and community news, visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov. Also follow Beaverton on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofBeaverton, or Twitter at www.twitter.com/CityofBeaverton.
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"Cities across the U.S., including Beaverton, need support from our leaders in Washington," said Mayor Doyle. "This bill is critical to maintain and improve our transportation network, which is vital for our local economy. I invite you to join me in encouraging Congress to take action and fund this bill."
In addition to mayors, a broad coalition of transportation providers, businesses, transportation system users, state partners and others are calling on Congress to pass a long-term transportation bill that increases investments in transportation infrastructure. At the national level, a new analysis from the American Public Transportation Association shows that more than $227 billion in economic productivity is at risk over the next six years without long-term federal investment in transit.
The country faces a $160 billion backlog just to bring public transit and road systems into a state of good repair. The lack of a long-term federal funding bill creates local funding uncertainty, which jeopardizes transportation project planning and discourages private sector investment. A lack of a commitment on the federal level stifles local business investment and job creation in Beaverton and nationwide.
A long-term, fully funded transportation bill must include robust investment for all modes of transportation. Transit ridership surged to 10.8 billion trips last year, Amtrak ridership continues to hit record highs, bicycle commuting has increased 60 percent since 2005, and national freight tonnage is projected to increase by 25 percent in the next decade.
Federal investment has not kept pace with this demand, resulting in an outdated, overburdened surface transportation system that is ill-equipped to handle current, let alone future, needs. Across the United States, public transit maintenance needs exceed $77 billion, and the nation's bridge backlog alone is an estimated $121 billion. The HTF, which funds most highway and transit spending, is almost depleted and the federal government is struggling to maintain the status quo, much less make new investments.
To learn more about Stand Up for Transportation Day, visit www.standup4trasnportation.org or follow the Day of Action on Twitter at #SU4T.
ABOUT BEAVERTON
Beaverton is a welcoming and responsible city that enjoys one of the most diverse populations in Oregon. In 2015, Beaverton was recognized as the safest city in the Pacific Northwest (according to CQ Press for cities more than 75,000). Recently, the city's award-winning finance department received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award as well as the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. In 2012, the city was awarded the Mayors' Climate Protection Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. It was named one of the 100 Best Places to Live in America by Money magazine and recognized as one of the best places to raise kids by BusinessWeek magazine. The city was named one of the top 25 Suburbs for Retirement by Forbes.com and one of the 100 Best Walking Cities in America by Prevention magazine. The city also received the Recycler of the Year award from the Association of Oregon Recyclers, named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, recei ved a Bronze Award Bicycle Friendly Community designation by the League of American Bicyclists, and recognized as one of the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Communities. Lastly, the city's nationally acclaimed visioning program was named Public Involvement Project of the Year--Best Planning Project by the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Cascade Chapter and also received the prestigious 3CMA Award of Excellence.
For more information, reminders and community news, visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov. Also follow Beaverton on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofBeaverton, or Twitter at www.twitter.com/CityofBeaverton.
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