Paula F. Downey
President's Message: Transportation Spending
Everyone Profits From Transportation Spending
IF YOU'RE GOING...
Don't you enjoy seeing those signs that say your TAX DOLLARS at work when you drive by a highway construction project? While none of us loves paying taxes, my reaction to the signs is always "Good!" because I like seeing my tax dollars go to repair roads and keep us all safer.
Last year, AAA lobbied Congress to provide the states with federal economic stimulus funds. That money jump-started more than 200 "ready to go" transportation projects in California, Nevada, and Utah. "Ready to go" means that a project can move through the federal approval process within 120 days of the authorizing legislation. Go to recovery.gov to track the progress of stimulus dollars in your state.
While the 2009 stimulus was a positive injection of funds, AAA is urging Congress to pass a long-term investment plan in 2010 that will sustain and enhance our nation's transportation infrastructure.
It's a clear priority because our country is facing a crisis. Many of our roads, bridges, and transit systems were built decades ago and paid for by previous generations. The aging, decaying roads and highways can no longer meet our needs. Not only are they frequently congested, impairing the mobility that Americans have always cherished, their poor condition also contributes to 30 percent of all fatal highway crashes.
Let's get more tax dollars at work signs on our roadways. Let me know what you think by sending me a note at presidentmail@goAAA.com. You can find additional information at our site AAA.com/transportation.
Good Directions
GREENER DRIVING
No matter what kind of vehicle you drive, AAA can help you reduce its impact on the environment. By starting with these four easy tips from our automotive experts to keep your car running its best, you'll conserve gas, save money, and reduce harmful emissions.
- Stay tuned Following the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual can save 10 to 20 percent on fuel. That's 30 cents to more than 60 cents per gallon.
- Firm up soft tires If drivers across the United States inflated their tires properly, they could get about 3 percent more miles per gallon—and they'd be safer.
- Unload Your trunk isn't a storage unit; taking out 100 pounds can improve your mileage by 2 percent. Remove your roof rack when you're not using it.
- Drive efficiently Aggressive driving—jackrabbit starts, stomping the brakes, speeding—can cut gas mileage by as much as 5 percent around town and33 percent at highway speeds. It also pumps up a car's carbon emissions.
For more tips and a video showing simple driving techniques that save gas, visit AAA.com/greenerdriving.
YOU TOLD US
In the January/February VIA we asked what types of distracted driving you see most often. Texting or talking on a handheld phone got 76 percent of your votes. Many readers urged stricter enforcement of laws against these hazardous habits, as well as higher fines. "Day after day I see blatant violations," one wrote. "It's like a stray dog running out into traffic." Others cited different distractions, from eating to "billboards with gorgeous women or men."
Photography by Anne Hamersky
This article was first published in March 2010. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.
