SEATTLE – A first-of-its-kind report by the WashPIRG Foundation shows reduced car commuting in Washington's urbanized areas—including the Greater Seattle area, Greater Spokane, and Portland-Vancouver—and more use of transportation alternatives, like public transit and biking.
Washingtonians have cut their per-person driving miles by 5.5 percent since 2005, while the nation's long term driving boom appears to have ended, according to a new report from the WashPIRG Foundation.
Statement by Phineas Baxandall, WashPIRG's Senior Transportation Analyst, regarding the disappointing federal Transportation Bill as released from conference committee today.
The report comes at a time when Congress and state officials are debating future funding for high-speed rail, including upgrades to Amtrak's 467-mile "Cascade Corridor" which connects Eugene, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, BC. Meanwhile, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure chair has proposed privatizing Amtrak with the hope of garnering private financing for new bullet trains along the Northeast. California is seeking private funds as part of a planned route connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Despite changing transportation trends, our state's own revised forecasts, and crumbling infrastructure, this bill significantly increases spending on highway construction and increased lane capacity, while giving short shrift to repair and maintenance and other modes, including transit and biking.
Last week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood hailed his department's $545.9 million loan from the Transportation Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act (TIFIA) to construct Los Angeles' 8.5 mile light rail transit line along the Crenshaw corridor. He touted it as "just one example of how DOT's TIFIA credit assistance program extends the value of America's transportation dollar." But will public transit financing really be the future of TIFIA?