For More Information:
Emily Rusch
(415) 622-0039 x307
Erin Steva (213) 251-3680 x. 308
Broad Coalition Urges Governor Schwarzenegger and the California State Legislature to Use the Stimulus Highway Funds to Repair Crumbling Infrastructure which will create more jobs, improve safety, and benefit the environment
Following on the heels of the passage of the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) environmental, transit, labor, pedestrian,
cyclist, and other public interest groups throughout California are calling on the Governor and
the state legislature to ensure that stimulus funds for transportation infrastructure
are spent quickly and wisely, on projects that are economically and
environmentally sustainable. Doing so will allow California to create jobs and rebuild our
economy in short term, while improving safety moving the state in a direction
of energy independence.
“Repairing our deteriorating roads and bridges creates more
jobs than road expansion projects and cuts our dependence on oil,” stated Erin
Steva, CALPIRG’s Transportation Associate. “These sorely needed projects are
ready to go quickly and will create the kinds of jobs California needs to meet its long-term
needs.”
“In addition to job creation, rehabilitation of existing
roads and bridges provides an opportunity to create complete streets which
improve safety for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, the disabled and transit
users,” said Deb Hubsmith, Director of the Safe Routes to School National
Partnership. “California
should set and enforce guidelines for spending stimulus money wisely, in a
manner that prioritizes both our economic and environmental sustainability.”
A sign-on letter sent today to the Governor and the
leadership of the State Legislature (see attached) includes recommendations for
the following parameters in state legislation:
Use highway funding for the rehabilitation and maintenance
of existing roads and bridges
Don’t use the stimulus funds for Prop 1B highway projects
Build complete streets to accommodate all transportation
users
Prioritize public transit spending
Create accountability processes for the state’s spending
The California Transportation Commission’s 2008 Annual
Report notes that current revenues available for the rehabilitation of the
state highway system are able to fund only about 40 percent of identified
needs. In addition, according to the most recent National Bridge
Inventory, California
has 3,140 structurally deficient bridges that we cannot afford to wait to
repair. We call on the California Legislature to ensure that our state takes a
step forward to improve safety, jobs and the environment by prioritizing road
and bridge infrastructure maintenance.
