Federal Transportation Funding

Working with the Transportation For America Campaign to Shift Funding in the Federal Transportation Bill

In the next year, a massive new federal transportation bill will likely be passed.

The federal transportation bill has historically been mostly about highways. That needs to change.

TransForm is coordinating the Transportation For America campaign here in California so the new bill shifts a huge percent of funds towards public transportation, smart growth, and keeping our existing transportation infrastructure in great shape.  

We can make transportation funding a way to fight climate change and win energy independence, plus support economic development and create new green jobs.

The Bay Area and California are positioned to play a key role in the next federal transportation bill. TransForm is working to ensure that:

• The Bay Area's innovations serve as models for the rest of the country.
• We look at current funding allocations and grown transportation funding sources.
• Our local Congressional leaders are partners in these efforts

Read Transportation for America's platform for the federal transportation authorization.

Making Clean Transportation Part of the Federal Climate Bill

The Senate’s version of climate change legislation nearly triples the funding for clean, sustainable transportation over the House climate bill, which only set aside an optional one percent of funding. We applaud Sen. Barbara Boxer and the rest of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for this strong statement that funding clean transportation options is a vital part of reducing our emissions.

After hearing from advocates and their colleagues in the Senate, the authors of the Senate climate bill agreed to include a higher, guaranteed level of funding (roughly 2.4% over the life of the bill) for clean transportation options, such as public transportation, affordable neighborhoods around transit stops, vanpooling and streets safe for walking and biking. It only makes sense -- transportation pollution is responsible for nearly one-third of our national greenhouse gas emissions.

We want to let the Senate know, especially those climate committee members, that we appreciate their leadership on this issue and we want them to defend transportation funding as the bill moves through other Senate committees. There is still a long road ahead for the climate bill and the Senate needs to know you will support their efforts to continue fighting for more money for clean transportation.

Take a moment to thank Senators for making clean transportation part of the climate bill -- and tell them to defend that money as the Senate continues to shape the final policy.

To learn more about how to get involved in TransForm's work to impact federal transportation policy, contact Shannon Tracey.