Transportation represents 32 percent of domestic carbon emissions and is the fastest growing source of these emissions. Our surface transportation system emits more carbon dioxide than the total for any nation in the world from all sources (except China). Highway vehicles generate 72 percent of these emissions.

Transportation must lead in finding solutions. Inevitably, global warming will change the way we live, work, and travel. Actions to reduce transportation CO₂ emissions, especially cars, trucks and air travel, are especially important.

The report—A New Vision for the 21^st Century—was submitted jointly to the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, created by Congress to analyze and make recommendations on how to equip the nation’s transportation system to meet future needs.

Participating groups include the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO); AAA; the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC); the American Highway Users Alliance; the American Public Transportation Association (APTA); the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA); the American Trucking Associations (ATA); the Association of American Railroads (AAR); and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

The vision and strategies which the report contains were distilled from research reports, panel discussions, white papers, and a three-day conference convened by AASHTO 21-23 May 2007. The broad public and private sector participation represented every aspect of America’s surface transportation system.

Other key recommendations of the report are:

• Increase core program funding for highways and transit, recognizing the need for strategic national investments outside the Highway Trust Fund and making the transition, when necessary, from fuel taxes to a more diversified, reliable funding base. The federal commitment to this longstanding federal/state partnership must be sustained.

• Preserve and modernize the transportation system already in place. Improve that system’s performance through management and applied technology.

• Invest in public transportation, with a high-quality, high-capacity public transportation system in every metro area within 15 years.

• Establish an intercity passenger rail system that is well connected to other modes, such as airports, and to commuter rail and other transit services. Congress should enact a national system of intercity passenger rail including resolution of Amtrak’s role and fund pilot projects to demonstrate the feasibility of high speed passenger rail service.

• Reduce the 50% of congestion now caused by lack of capacity. Add highway capacity, including a “critical commerce corridors” approach creating roadways exclusively dedicated to freight movement and financed outside the Highway Trust Fund; increase Interstate highway capacity by 80%; and fix the 100 worst freight bottlenecks in the nation by 2015.

• Move aggressively to address transportation system safety, with the goal of halving roadway fatalities by the year 2030.

(A hat-tip to Bob!)

Resources:

• A New Vision for the 21^st Century (AASHTO)