Denver is not alone in its struggle to finance public
transit and ensure that the build-out is equitable in benefiting all
residents of the region. Denver and cities across the country are
reliant upon federal transportation funds. Too often the rules that
govern those federal funds reward sprawl rather than maintenance of our
existing infrastructure or new transit that will promote
environmentally sustainable growth. FRESC has joined a national
movement to reform federal transportation funding, to bring it into the
21st Century in a way that supports stronger economies and communities
in cities across the nation, including Denver.
FRESC and the Transportation for America Coalition seek a new federal transportation policy that will:
Build a world-class rail and transit network that puts us ahead of the rest of the developed world, not behind.
Help
communities meet the soaring demand for affordable homes in
neighborhoods that require less driving and have access to high-quality
transportation options;
Restore, and then keep our existing highways and public transportation networks in tip-top shape.
FRESC is also a member of the Transportation Equity Network, which seeks to ensure that the federal Transportation Reauthorization transforms the way our country makes transportation investments and puts disadvantaged communities on the fast-track to prosperity. Specifically, FRESC and TEN support increased funding for transit and transit operations, and mechanisms that ensure women, low-income individuals, and individuals of color have guaranteed access to career-path training and jobs on federally funded transportation projects.
The Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities between the US Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeks to improve access to affordable housing, provide more transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide. FRESC supports the Interagency Partnership and legislation intended to bolster it, Senator Chris Dodd’s Livable Communities Act and a companion bill in the House sponsored by Colorado Congressman Ed Perlmutter.
In November of 2009 the Secretaries of DOT, HUD, and EPA joined the White House Office of Urban Affairs for a site visit to Denver that profiled projects in which FRESC has been deeply involved in ensuring equitable outcomes that exemplify the goals of the Partnership, such as Denver Union Station and the redevelopment of La Alma/Lincoln Park near the 10th and Osage stop on the FasTracks West Corridor. FRESC also participated in a policy conversation during the visit and our work was profiled in the visit briefing paper, Building Communities of Opportunity: Supporting Integrated Planning and Development through Federal Policy.
Stranded at the Station - FRESC Calls for Congressional Support for Transit Operations
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