The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Education Fund’s new transportation guide is an urgent call to action to the citizens of Connecticut to see the larger impact of transportation on our quality of life and environment. It is time to change our approach to Connecticut’s transportation system and this guide provides the framework. Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker said, “this authoritative and thoughtful guide will be an important tool and resource.”
In an easy to read format, the guide is available to read or download free online at www.conservationeducation.org.
Photo: Connecticut Hydrogen-Fuel Cell Coalition
The guide urges voters to recognize the link between transportation and community; between smart development and economic growth; between car usage and air quality; between sprawling highways and vanishing ecosystems. The guide provides compelling information as to why an improved transportation system is so vital to the state, quoting the growing costs of the current system to public health, the environment, and the Connecticut economy. It offers a well-constructed vision for a multi-modal system that will ensure Connecticut remains economically competitive in the 21st century while preserving the character of the state. Investment in this more efficient and equitable system will curtail dependence on automobiles and encourage walking, bicycling, and public transit. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Daniel Etsy calls the guide “timely and relevant.”
Transition to a better transportation system must be a priority in Connecticut, and the guide suggests ten practical policy recommendations to get the state on track:
- Develop a coordinated plan for a balanced, inter-modal transportation system;
- Adopt policies to shift trips from single-occupancy vehicles to alternative modes;
- Support transit-oriented development;
- Implement green infrastructure best practices;
- Fix-it-first;
- Develop stable sources of funding for transportation;
- Make walking and biking easier and safer with low-cost and small-scale improvements;
- Improve and expand bus transit while holding the line on the fares;
- Invest in rail;
- Incentivize clean fuel options.
We urge legislators to refer to these recommendations as they set policies and priorities for investing in the state’s transportation system. And we hope citizens use the information in the guide to speak out and help move Connecticut forward.
Today’s post is written by staff from the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters.