Elected officials, environmental groups, and community
organizations call for policies to promote transit
CHICAGO,
Illinois— In
2008, people in Illinois saved 259 million gallons of gasoline--450,100 cars' worth--by riding
transit in record numbers.
Transportation is responsible for more than two-thirds of our dependence on
oil, and about one-third of our carbon dioxide pollution, according to a new
report released today called “Getting On Track: Record Transit Ridership
Increases Energy Independence.”
“People are voting with their feet by driving less and
taking more public transportation,” said Brian Spranger of Environment
Illinois. “Congress should listen to
these voters and invest more in public transportation, which will increase our
energy independence and reduce global warming pollution.”
In 2008, Illinois transit
ridership increased by more than six percent above 2007 levels.
People in Illinois drove less,
with 3.7 billion fewer miles driven in 2008 than in the year before – a four
percent decrease. People drove less due in part to volatile fuel prices and
decreased economic activity, and many of these car trips were replaced by
transit.
“Despite
the huge potential for transit to reduce oil consumption and pollution, the
vast majority of transportation funding is spent on roads,” said Spranger. “Instead of wasting money to build new
highways that only increase our dependence on oil, our leaders here in Illinois
and in Congress should drive more money to transit, rail, and better biking and
walking options.”
In 2008 increased national transit ridership saved more
than 4 billion gallons of gasoline, the equivalent of the fuel of nearly 7.2
million cars – almost as many passenger cars as are registered in Florida –
consume in one year.
These figures do not take into
account the other benefits of increased transit ridership – benefits that
include reduced congestion, reductions in smog and soot pollution or money
saved by households regularly taking transit.
“Every additional dollar we spend
on public transit makes us less dependent on oil, decreases the time we spend
stuck in traffic, and reduces global warming pollution, smog, and asthma
attacks,” said Spranger.
In addition to conserving fuel, saving
time, and protecting health, public transportation also reduced global warming
pollution in Illinois by 2,341,000 tons in 2008.
In order to maximize public
transportation potential to save energy and reduce pollution, Environment
Illinois is asking our local, state, and federal leaders to:
- Issue overarching goals for reducing oil
dependence and pollution through transportation, which will guide better
policy.
- Increase investment in cleaner public
transportation, to include transit, high speed rail, and better walking
and biking options.
- Level the playing field in terms of funding and
approving transit projects, relative to road projects. Approval of transit
and highway investments should be governed by an equivalent set of rules
and matching ratios.
- Increase funding for transit maintenance and
day-to-day operations, in addition to improving and expanding capacity.
Federal, state and local funds should allow for greater flexibility in
funding operations - new buses and trains are useless without drivers to
drive them and mechanics to maintain them.
In the
near term, Environment Illinois is calling on Congress to incorporate the full
provisions of CLEAN TEA (the Clean, Low Emissions, Affordable New
Transportation Equity Act, S. 575), into the climate bill being debated now in
the Senate. CLEAN TEA would direct 10 percent of climate bill allowances to
clean transportation efforts that will save oil and reduce emissions.
See the full report here.
###
Environment Illinois is a state-based, citizen-funded environmental
organization working for clean air, clean water, and open spaces.
