Faster Better Safer: Americans for Transportation Mobility

The Honorable Barack Obama
President-elect
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear President-elect Obama:   

     The Americans for Transportation Mobility (ATM) Coalition strongly urges you to include
targeted transportation infrastructure investment as a key element of any economic recovery package in the coming months.

     Current economic conditions demand continued coordinated action at the federal level, and Congress and the administration should act quickly to initiate a full range of efforts to stimulate job creation and address economic problems including investment in near-term transportation projects. The U.S. economy, which is already in recession, threatens to slow further, and clearly needs additional stimulus to support broad recovery and address particularly hard hit sectors like construction. Transportation infrastructure plays a critical role supporting the nation’s economy, and targeted infrastructure investment would provide long-term economic benefits by helping improve the movement of people and goods and help create jobs in the short-term.

     State budgets are shrinking and the tightening credit market is leaving many planned projects without funding and financing. According to Municipal Market Advisors, a consulting firm that specializes in municipal bonds, $100 billion of new infrastructure projects have been delayed because of the constricted credit markets. Increased federal investment without a required state match can help alleviate this crunch and ensure that states keep up with critical maintenance and improvement efforts while putting people back to work in well-paying jobs.

     Earlier this year, state departments of transportation identified more than 3,000 highway projects totaling approximately $18 billion that could be implemented within 30-90 days from enactment of federal economic stimulus legislation. Further, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has identified an estimated $8 billion in similar ready-to-go transit projects. The Coalition strongly urges Congress and the administration to provide funding for these critical efforts in any economic recovery legislation in the coming months and looks forward to working with you to address the current economic problems.

Sincerely,

 Americans for Transportation Mobility

ATM Management Committee Members
American Council of Engineering Companies * American Public Transportation Association * American Road and Transportation Builders Association * American Society of Civil Engineers * Associated Equipment Distributors * Association of Equipment Manufacturers * Associated General Contractors * International Union of Operating Engineers * Laborers International Union of North America * National Asphalt Pavement Association * National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association * United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America * U.S. Chamber of Commerce