PHOENIX, Ariz. -- An analysis of the nation's transportation infrastructure calls for policymakers to lay the groundwork now for a sustainable, efficient, modern, and inclusive mobility system.

The study released today calls for policymakers in Arizona and the nation to move toward transportation options that meet all consumers' needs and protect public health.

The report argued the current, fossil-fuel-based infrastructure pollutes the environment, causes unnecessary deaths, harms the public health and contributes to climate change.

Diane Brown, executive director for the Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, which released the study, believes people are ready for change.

"If policymakers made a deliberate effort to provide us with viable transportation options, we are confident more Arizonans would choose those options," Brown asserted.

She added restructuring the transit system is an opportunity to bring new options to people of color and low-income communities.

Brown contended the pandemic showed, given a choice, people prefer to drive less and will choose walking, cycling and other modes of transportation.

She pointed out efficient, non-polluting and effective modes of transit are being developed and, if implemented, would give people in every part of the state the ability to choose the type of transit system that works best for them.

"When it comes to transportation in Arizona, one size does not fit all," Brown remarked. "Arizona policymakers need to look at what transportation options work best for which communities in the state."

Brown predicted President Joe Biden's infrastructure initiative, if approved, could drive the type of transportation changes needed, but urged state and local officials to find the political will to bring new mobility options to Arizonans and others.

"Arizona and federal policymakers have the ability to set our infrastructure on a course that works for residents in our state, whether they are in a small rural community or a large urban area," Brown concluded.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Advocates for traffic safety finished a 1,000-mile trip around the state today, to bring attention to proposed reforms to curb the 1,000 traffic deaths New York sees every year.

Families for Safe Streets is among the groups pushing for the Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act. The package of bills includes lower speed limits, 24/7 speed cameras and safe passage for cyclists. It would also do more to support crash victims and hold reckless drivers accountable.

Amy Cohen, co-founder of Families for Safe Streets, advocated for the cause in memory of her 12-year-old son, Sammy, who was killed in 2013 by a reckless driver in Brooklyn.

"He knew how to navigate the streets, and it still wasn't enough," Cohen recounted. "And that's why I know this is not about one person, one driver or one pedestrian, making a mistake. This is a systematic problem that requires systematic solutions."

Rallies have been held in Albany, Long Island, New York City, Rochester and Syracuse to garner support for the Act, which would have to be passed before the session ends June 10. So far, three of the eight bills have cleared the Senate, although none have made it to the Assembly floor.

Other bills still in committee would create a pedestrian vehicle safety-rating system, and lower the blood alcohol content level to .05, which is the international standard for determining intoxication. The current level in New York is .08, Cohen noted.

"That is four drinks for the average man within an hour, that they can get behind what are now multi-ton vehicles and maneuver on our roadways across the state. That is a deadly act," Cohen argued.

In New York, vehicle crashes are the top cause of injury-related death, according to Families for Safe Streets.

Cohen added the challenge now is to make sure the bills are heard before it's too late.

"It's really just a matter of moving the machinations of Albany, you know, and getting through the process, getting through the committees timely enough, bringing the bills to the floor for a vote," Cohen explained.

The final rally for the week will be held at noon today at City Hall Park in New York City.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Lawmakers are expected to make headway on President Joe Biden's $2.3 trillion dollar infrastructure proposal this week, as Arkansas' aging infrastructure made headlines with the discovery of a large crack in the Interstate 40 Hernando de Soto Bridge across the Mississippi River that led to its indefinite closure last week.

Ed Mortimer, vice president of transportation and infrastructure for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said shipping and supply-chain disruptions will likely become more common if significant spending isn't directed toward major transportation improvements.

"Because of our inadequate infrastructure at the moment, we lose $170 billion annually in lost productivity," Mortimer stated.

Senate Republicans are soon expected to deliver a revised version of the proposal to the president.

Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Department for the AFL-CIO, said the issue is closely tied to good jobs.

"I would say every single job in this country, at some level, is directly connected to our infrastructure system," Regan asserted. "Whether it's because people use it, or the people that build and operate and maintain it. And everybody suffers when we have this level of neglect."

Mortimer added decades of underfunding and deferred maintenance have pushed infrastructure across the nation to the brink of failure.

"So we need to make these investments now," Mortimer contended. "To make sure we are getting the best out of our national network, we're competing in a global economy, and we have an improved quality of life for every single American."

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, driving on roads in need of repair in Arkansas costs each driver $671 per year. Around 5% of bridges are rated structurally deficient, and 193 dams are considered to be high-hazard potential.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Strides to strengthen and modernize public transit are underway in Connecticut.

The General Assembly's Environment Committee passed a bill to boost the clean-energy economy and reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector.

Thomas Regan-Lefebvre, coordinator of the Transport Hartford Academy at the Center for Latino Progress, said the bill outlines plans for cleaner vehicles and fuels, and safer infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists.

He called it a big win in terms of equity, increasing the minimum investment for underserved communities most affected by air pollution, from 35% to 50%.

"We know it's not going to answer everything, it's not going to cut all the emissions out," Regan-Lefebvre acknowledged. "But it is going to help to reduce inequities, transportation and climate change inequities, within our state."

Senate Bill 884 is also part of the state's commitment to the regional Transportation and Climate Initiative.

And Regan-Lefebvre is convinced there's still time to get Republicans on board. Although the legislation was bipartisan, the GOP lawmakers on the committee voted against it.

Regan-Lefebvre is optimistic about the $621 billion of federal funding for transportation as part of the American Jobs Plan, including $80 billion to improve and expand Amtrak train service.

He noted Connecticut's capital should be an economic and cultural hub, but in his opinion, it isn't quite there yet.

"We really hope that by connecting Hartford in a more efficient way to Boston, and to New York, it is going to attract talents and investment there," Regan-Lefebvre explained.

The bill will likely be reviewed next by the Finance or Transportation Committee.


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