New York, NY (Oct. 15, 2008) – Hours before the final presidential debate at Hofstra University, several key government officials and groups called on the next President and Congress to strengthen our local and national economies by building a 21st Century transportation system.

At Grand Central Terminal, the heavyweights of NYC transportation and their national partners in the Transportation for America Campaign (T4), released "Build for America: A Five-Point Plan to get our Economy Moving." This bold economic agenda has the potential to create 100,000 good, green jobs in New York City and millions more nationally. The rebuilding of New York City's century-old subways, the completion of major projects like the Second Avenue Subway, Access to the Region's Core (ARC) and East Side Access, along with the development of initiatives like Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will diversify the commuting choices for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, cut congestion, and drastically reduce America's dependence on oil.

"Now is a pivotal moment for transportation planning in our country," noted Rep. Jerrold Nadler. "Nationwide, we have the rare opportunity to simultaneously invest in major projects, to create thousands of new jobs and, crucially, to revive a very shaky economy. If we do not focus our resources on transportation and infrastructure, we will not only suffer the economic consequences but will also suffer the continued deterioration of our aging and unsafe infrastructure, particularly in the northeast. T4 reauthorization affords us a tremendous chance to stimulate the economy and I hope that we can produce a robust and far-reaching bill that will improve our existing infrastructure while funding major new projects across the country and locally, such as the Second Avenue Subway and the vital Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel between New Jersey and New York."

"Our ridership has grown 40% over the past decade, and this year is up another 6%," said Elliot G. Sander, Executive Director and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). "The MTA's robust mass transit network keeps New York economically competitive with world cities like London and Shanghai that are investing in their transit systems."

"Investing in the infrastructure of the 21st Century is one of the most important things the federal government can do right now," said Janette Sadik-Khan, NYC Transportation Commissioner and President of NACTO, an organization of city transportation officials. "We're calling on the next president to support the vital transportation networks of our nation's metropolitan areas, where investment can make a real difference for millions of people."

The U.S. currently spends $70 billion a year on transportation infrastructure, and many are calling on Congress to do what has been done in every recent recession and invest still more to simulate economic recovery. However, simply using that money to build highway projects conceived in the last century is unlikely to help, the T4 coalition warned.

Build for America calls for investment in public transit, high-speed and intercity rail, neighborhoods that are less car-dependent, more walkable and more affordable, and restoring the thousands of roads and bridges in failing condition across the United States. Specifically, New York City's T4 partners are asking the next President and Congress to work together to:

1. Build to Compete with China and Europe, by modernizing and expanding our rail and transit networks to reduce oil dependence, connect the metro regions that are the engines of the modern economy.
2. Invest for a Clean, Green Recovery through cleaner vehicles and new fuels as well as the cleanest forms of transportation – modern public transit, walking and biking – and for energy-efficient, sustainable development.
3. Fix What's Broken before building new roads and restore our crumbling highways, bridges and transit systems.
4. Stop Wasteful Spending and re-evaluate projects currently in the pipeline to eliminate those with little economic return that could deepen our oil dependence.
5. Save Americans Money. Provide more travel and housing options that are affordable and efficient, while helping people to avoid high gas costs and traffic congestion. Save taxpayer dollars by asking the private developers who reap real estate rewards from new rail stations and transit lines to contribute toward that service.

"A vibrant and healthy infrastructure keeps our economy moving and provides good jobs for our citizens. We must invest in our infrastructure – from roads and bridges to mass transit systems -- to stimulate the economy and provide the opportunity for growth," said Denise Richardson, General Manager of the General Contractors Association of New York.

"There has never been a more important time to invest in our infrastructure. In the aftermath of the economic crisis, sustaining and maintaining New York's vast transit system will provide a foundation for the economic transformation that lies ahead," said Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association and co-chair, Empire State Transportation Alliance. "Today, we are making the case for investing in transit. Tomorrow, Regional Plan Association will release a comprehensive blueprint for what those investments should be."

"New York's extensive transit system is a great advantage to the downstate region in coping with the economic crisis," said Gene Russianoff, senior attorney for the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign. "Investing in fixing and expanding in our subways, buses and commuter lines is critical." Events similar to the one held in New York are happening in 10 other cities today, including New York, Atlanta, Columbus, OH, Chicago, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Seattle, and San Francisco.

For more information or to download the complete Build for America booklet, please visit BuildforAmerica.Org.

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