Build for Growth

by Brad Peck

As our two Bandwagons cross the country a constant theme in the posts, and other emails sent in by our rolling business advocates is infrastructure.  They are seeing, and hearing, first hand the problems of an aging transportation network.  The U.S. Chamber has been pushing infrastructure awareness and solutions for quite some time now, most recently through our Let’s Rebuild America initiative. 

Janet Kavinoky, the leader of the initiative has this weeks Dear44 contribution from the Chamber.  It reads, in part:

Responding to our infrastructure crisis will require candid assessments, as well as prioritizing and making tough spending decisions based on actual need rather than political expediency. More resources are required — plain and simple. Every funding option should be on the table. We need to unlock private investment and expand public revenue and financing options.

The public deserves a complete conversation and comprehensive solutions, and in return, our leaders need the public’s acceptance of the costs — both monetary and personal. By making changes in the way we live, we can reduce congestion and use less energy. The American Public Transportation Association reports that current public transportation usage reduces U.S. gasoline consumption by about 4.2 billion gallons each year. Transit takes millions of drivers off the road and emissions out of the air. We need a much larger investment in these systems.

Read Kavinoky’s full column, as well as the column from Reece Rushing of the Center For American Progress Action Fund.