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Transit Speaks Out During Infrastructure Week
Public transit agencies across the U.S. hosted events and issued statements as part of the fourth annual Infrastructure Week, May 16-23, to highlight the need for greater investment in public transportation infrastructure and to meet state of good repair challenges.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), San Jose, CA, posted retrospective articles on its blog during the week showing how the agency’s expansion has shaped development in its service area.
One post described how Santa Clara County received its first federal grant for light rail, $2 million for preliminary engineering, in 1982. The first 21-mile light rail line opened in 1991 and VTA light rail now serves more than 34,000 passengers daily on 42.2 miles of track.
Another story told how VTA provided funding through county Measure A to construct two bicycle/pedestrian bridges, one over a freight rail line and the other over a freeway. VTA also is funding a future bicycle/pedestrian undercrossing under Caltrain, Altamont Commuter Express, Capitol Corridor and future BART tracks, which will connect Santa Clara University to existing retail and proposed residential development.
The Regional Transportation Authority’s “Ride On” blog also showcased infrastructure issues in its posts during the week, including a list of Chicago-area projects that would benefit from increased regional capital investment and a link to a fact sheet. Another post promoted the benefits of connecting bike use with public transit.
Kirt Conrad, executive director of the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority in Canton, OH, and president of the Ohio Public Transit Association, released a statement pointing to the need for increased public transit funding and support in his state.
“Since 2000, the state of Ohio has reduced its funding for public transit from $44 million a year to just over $7 million in 2015. Ohio’s transit systems spend $893 million a year with the state contributing only 3 percent of the total funding for public transit,” Conrad said. “Ohio transit systems provide 115 million trips a year to seniors, students, employees, those with disabilities and many more.”
The Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) partnered with the city of Lancaster, CA, to support National Infrastructure Week.
“Investment in our infrastructure, particularly in public transit, is key to not only helping people get to and from work, it also drives growth in our communities,” said AVTA Board Chairman and Lancaster Vice Mayor Marvin Crist. “It’s about much more than building roads or repairing bridges; it’s about providing accessibility, connecting people to the workplace, commerce and services, as well as bringing communities together more efficiently.”
Both AVTA and the city have worked with BYD, a manufacturer of all-electric buses based in Lancaster, to improve the nation’s infrastructure while supporting sustainability.
Staff of WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, a sponsor of Infrastructure Week 2016, participated in panel discussions in Washington, DC, related to transportation and infrastructure development. John D. Porcari, president, U.S. advisory services for the firm and a past deputy secretary of DOT, participated in “How Faster Infrastructure Approvals Can Get America Moving Again,” and David Gehr, senior vice president and highway market leader, was a panelist for “Delivering the Goods: Recommendations for Funding a Federal Freight Program.”
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| During Infrastructure Week, Cincinnati Metro displayed its oldest bus in operation in an effort to highlight the nation’s urgent need to consistently invest and maintain its aging infrastructure, including one of its most valuable assets—its public transportation systems. While the life expectancy for buses is 12 years, this bus has been in operation for 15 years and has been driven almost half a million miles. Metro currently operates 85 buses that are past the 12-year age and in urgent need of replacement. |
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Tina Quigley, general manager of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) in Las Vegas, visited transportation construction sites on Infrastructure Worker Appreciation Day to thank employees for their work and provide lunch. Also during Infrastructure Week, RTC and Nevada DOT hosted a ground breaking for a safety project that includes traffic signals, pedestrian crossings, paving and sidewalk upgrades.
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