Paula F. Downey
President's Message: March 2009
IF YOU'RE GOING...
Given everything facing President Obama—two wars, a floundering economy, and global warming, for starters—he might have been tempted to take his eyes off the roads.
But he hasn't—and neither should the rest of us.
In his inauguration speech, the president said, "We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together." In a radio talk last December, he said he intends to "create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s."
AAA endorses such a move. To compete in the global economy, we must have a safe, modern transportation system. And every dollar invested in infrastructure returns $1.57 directly to the economy, says a study done for the new administration.
The president has stressed that the stimulus money will go to projects that are "shovel ready." This means that the frequent impasses in our political debate are not acceptable. California, Nevada, and Utah have a critical need for more roads, bridges, and public transit, a need that is magnified by our sprawling geographies and booming populations (Utah is the fastest-growing state in the country).
Proposals to jump-start work on the country's infrastructure are but a first step. State and regional governments must craft plans to fill in the inevitable gaps that will remain after the federal projects have begun. And at the end of September, the current four-year federal transportation act will expire. Your club and the rest of the AAA federation are pressing for accountability and transparency in the next bill, which needs to scale back the earmarks that populated its predecessor. (Remember the Bridge to Nowhere?)
Visit www.aaa.com and search for "transportation advocacy" to get more information. Then please tell the administration and Congress—and AAA—what kinds of investments you think our country should be making in transportation.
Photography by Anne Hamersky
This article was first published in March 2009. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.
