Testimony of the Transportation for Livable Communities Project

of Southwestern Pennsylvania

Transportation Reform and Funding Commission

January 26, 2006

The Transportation for Livable Communities Project is a partnership of Sustainable Pittsburgh and the Surface Transportation Policy Project serving to advance transportation reform in southwestern Pennsylvania .

Problem Statement:

A viable transportation system is critical to sustainable economic development. Therefore it is vitally important for the civic and business sector to support the Governor’s call for action making the case for a stable and reliable source of funds that is in step with fiscal realties faced by the government agencies.

The Transportation for Livable Communities Project seeks in 2006 to build a unified and broadly supported agenda based upon the past efforts of several civic and business sector organizations and advocacy groups such as Transportation for Livable Communities, Pennsylvanians for Transportation Solutions (PenTrans), and the Pennsylvania Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates (PAPTA) that have been working individually and collectively to address the transportation funding crisis. These stakeholders will call upon the Governor's Commission and the General Assembly to ensure a stable and reliable source of funds is determined and provide input on how our transportation dollars are programmed and delivered. The goal of this effort is to develop a stable and reliable source of funding to maintain and expand the Commonwealth’s transportation system per the following guidelines:

1. Utilize a Fix It First strategy, per the Keystone Principles For Growth, Investment &

Resource Conservation, to address the current backlog of highway and bridge repair projects identified in the current and proposed PENNDOT Twelve Year Programs and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Funds should be available to support all users;

2. Develop a permanent and reliable source of funding for public transportation in urban, suburban, and rural areas;

3. Support and expand funding for programs that achieve community redevelopment and sustainable development objectives to bring local infrastructure to a state of good repair per the Keystone Principles.

Background:

Pennsylvania is at a critical juncture in the development of a stable and reliable source of funding to maintain and expand transportation systems, including public transportation, to serve urban, suburban, and rural areas of the Commonwealth. The 2005 flex funding proposals that were required to keep many of our transit agencies afloat through December 2006 are evidence of the challenges and opportunities facing us. Public transportation agencies will not be able to balance their Fiscal Year 2006 budgets because their funding will run out in December 2006.

Our roadways and bridges are also facing a major funding crisis.  Major infrastructure failures such as bridge collapses are a stark reminder how far behind we are in maintaining our transportation system.  However, there have been major advancements in the use of transportation funding to serve our communities.  The PENNDOT Hometown Streets/Safe Routes to Schools funding program is just one example of how investments in infrastructure can benefit the economy. There also have been many innovative strategies for reducing congestion and pollution by better coordinating transportation and land use planning at the local level.