Diverse Coalition Endorses RTA Proposal
Media Contacts
Proposal Important for Economic Growth, Making Wisconsin Healthier, and Building Strong Communities
WISPIRG
[Madison, WI] — With the Joint Finance Committee scheduled to take up Governor Doyle’s Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) proposal Thursday, a diverse coalition of business, labor, municipal, environmental, religious, and public interest organizations have come together to urge the legislature, and members of the Joint Finance Committee, to support the RTA proposal in A.B. 75.
“Wisconsin’s economic future and quality of life depend on vibrant transportation networks,” said Bruce Speight of WISPIRG. “RTAs in Wisconsin are essential to transportation networks that will grow our economy and build dynamic and accessible communities, where more Wisconsinites can get where they need to go.”
“The availability of accessible, affordable transportation plays a major role in determining how independent and productive the elderly and people with disabilities can be,” said Lisa Lamkins, Advocacy Director of AARP Wisconsin. “RTAs allow for a more coordinated transportation network with services that complement, rather than duplicate, one another. Ultimately, RTAs can improve transportation and mobility options for people of all ages.”
While public transportation ridership is reaching new records around the country, Wisconsin’s cumbersome and antiquated rules currently make it difficult to provide affordable, reliable, and sustainable public transportation in our communities. Governor Doyle’s budget proposal to create regional transportation authorities would give communities the ability to provide stable funding for transit and to expand local transportation options, such as commuter rail and improved bus systems.
“Without RTAs, Wisconsin can not compete for federal transit dollars to build new projects for the 21st century. Given that public transit and high speed rail are going to be a much bigger part of the upcoming $500 billion six-year transportation bill that Congress takes up this year, that’s a real lost opportunity,” said Ed Huck, Executive Director of Wisconsin Alliance of Cities.
Exciting new projects like the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) commuter rail line, enhanced bus systems across the state, and commuter rail in Dane county would give employers better access to workers and workers better access to jobs. RTAs would enable transportation investments that minimize oil dependence, traffic congestion, environmental pollution and sprawl, while encouraging development of compact, livable communities where driving is an option, not a requirement.
“RTAs are good for workers and the economy,” said Satya Rhodes-Conway, who staffs the Wisconsin Apollo Alliance. “A stable source of funding for transit can help retain and create jobs in construction, manufacturing and operations. Better transit systems help workers get to their jobs, and help employers access a broader workforce. In this economy, that’s particularly important. Allowing the formation of RTAs is one way to build on the Recovery Act and continue to strengthen Wisconsin’s economy.”
“Many states have RTAs or similar mechanisms that enable forward-looking public transit across municipal boundaries. The lack of such tools leaves other states ahead of Wisconsin in providing business-friendly, green, and convenient transportation choices,” concluded Speight.
