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Release date: 9/9/08

*** Press Release ***

Washington, DC—San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) chief Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr. today joined the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), an organization of city transportation officials from around the United States, to call for a new vision for urban and metropolitan transportation systems.

Standing together with Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Ford and NACTO officials decried a lack of investment in critical infrastructure maintenance and called for a renewed focus on rebuilding and modernizing the U.S. urban transportation system.

"I'm pleased to be here today with NACTO as they release their platform for the next transportation bill," said Chairman Oberstar.  The next bill, scheduled to take effect when SAFETEA-LU expires in September 2009, will fall under the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's jurisdiction.

“With transit ridership increasing in San Francisco and across the nation, strengthening public transportation must be a national priority,” said Ford, Executive Director/CEO of the SFMTA.  “The Federal government needs to put transit on an equal playing field with road and highway improvements.”

"Congress has an opportunity next year to take us to the next level in transportation policy," said Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of New York City Department of Transportation and NACTO President. "We are looking at a Federal program that could be doing a lot more to strengthen cities and save people money on gas by supporting sustainable urban and metropolitan transportation systems."

The NACTO platform calls for a Federal transportation bill centered on three principles:

  • Fully funding repairs for American roads, bridges and mass transit;
  • Leading the country in combating energy dependence and climate change; and
  • Cutting red tape and bureaucracy to deliver projects more quickly.

Metropolitan areas and core cities are the engines of the U.S. economy, with a large share of the U.S. population, commerce, and international trade. Cities have most of the infrastructure and virtually all of the congestion in the U.S.  To compete globally, NACTO members need the support of a strong Federal program. Rebuilding the infrastructure we have inherited is a first step – and one that will take renewed commitment from government at all levels.

To download the full NACTO platform, visit www.nacto.org.

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