Senate debates transit bill

Environment America is mustering up support to improve the Clean, Low Emissions, Affordable, New Transportation Equity Act.

Congress passed the bill, but only included 1 percent of its total budget to improve public transportation.

CLEAN TEA is now in delegation in the Senate. If passed, the bill will accommodate the need Americans have for mass public transit.

Environment America, a citizen-funded, nonprofit group active in 27 states and Washington, D.C., wants the Senate to change that small percentage to 10 percent of the complete budget.

Rob McCulloch, Transportation Advocate at Environment America, thinks the bill should allocate more money to improve transit.

“We need green transit – expanding subway and light rails, urban development around train stops, even improving walkways and bike routes,” McCulloch said. “When gas prices went down last year, we did not see a decrease in the usage of public transit.”

In Indiana alone, transit usage increased by 9 percent since 2007, saving 11.67 million gallons of gas, according to an Environment America report.

Megan Severson, Midwest Field Organizer at Environment America, said in a press release that “people were voting with their feet and taking more public transport.”

McCulloch said Portland, Ore., and Dubuque, Iowa, are examples of cities that have great transit and are good models of what other cities can achieve with green transit.

Chair of the House Roads and Transportation Committee and State Rep. Terri Austin, D-36th District, said in a press release that “more Indiana residents want increased options for transportation.”

Austin said it will not only help the economy, but also the environment.
McCulloch is on the same page as Austin.

“A family can save up to $10,000 riding transit for a year instead of driving a car,” McCulloch said.