From TransForm:
At the federal level almost $400 billion - approximately 80% of total transportation investment - is directed to highways and roads based on the assumption that large capital projects are drivers of job creation and economic development. Recent reports challenge that assumption and prove that investment in public transit creates roughly 20% more jobs than investment in expansion of roads and highways.
Additionally, $1 in transit service cuts results in $10 of lost economic activity, and especially harms those who rely on public transportation to access basic needs such as jobs, schools, clinics, and grocery stores.
Join us for the final panel of the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute Issue and Advocates Speaker Series, where we’ll explore:
- The connection between transportation investments at the federal, state, regional, and local levels and (missed) opportunities for economic development in low-income communities and communities of color.
- Who benefits or is burdened by inequitable transportation investments that prioritize roads and highways while the communities that rely on local public transportation face systematic service cuts and fare hikes.
- The politics and economics of public transportation investments such as who benefits and who pays for projects like bus rapid transit, the San Francisco Central Subway, and transit-oriented development.
- Strategies for commissioners and the public to achieve more effective and equitable transit investments that support economic development in low-income communities and communities of color.
Who Should Attend
Participation in this event will be useful for a variety of stakeholders, including nonprofits interested in transportation access and economic development; funders with an emphasis on transportation, land use planning, or economic development; and elected officials, commissioners, and their staff who are interested in supporting economic development and access to reliable and affordable public transportation.
Seating is limited and registration is required, so please RSVP early.
Confirmed Speakers
-- Bob Allen, Transportation Justice Program Director, Urban Habitat
-- Ada Chan, Policy Analyst, Office of Oakland City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan
-- Joél Ramos, Senior Community Planner, TransForm
