America's Mayors Say No More Bridges To Nowhere: Oppose Gas Tax Unless More Is Invested in Metro Areas to Rebuild Roads and Bridges and Expand Transit

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed to Speak at National Press Club

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) will release a 176-city survey focusing on local transportation infrastructure investments on Tuesday, May 3, at the National Press Club.  Atlanta (GA) Mayor Kasim Reed, USCM Transportation Committee Chair, will deliver the survey findings.  Given the economic problems facing the nation, mayors believe it is more important than ever that federal transportation priorities be targeted to metropolitan areas - home to two-thirds of U.S. residents. A majority of mayors said they will oppose a gas tax increase unless funding is directed to these areas to improve roads, bridges and expand transit, instead of highway expansion. Mayors are saying that we don't need another bridge to nowhere.  Other findings include:

• Ninety-eight percent of mayors point to investment in affordable, reliable transportation as an important part of their cities' economic recovery and growth.
• Eighty percent of mayors indicate that highway expansion should be a low priority.
• Ninety-three percent of the mayors urge reforms in federal transportation programs to allow cities and their metropolitan areas to receive a greater share of federal funds directly.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110125/MM36443LOGO)

Metropolitan areas account for 86 percent of employment, 90 percent of wage income, and over the next 20 years, 94 percent of the nation's economic growth, but they are saddled with the nation's worst traffic jams, its oldest roads and bridges, and transit systems at capacity.  Simply put, these areas are receiving significantly less in federal transportation investments than would reflect their role and importance to the nation's economy.  This survey of mayors and their transportation infrastructure investment needs was sponsored by Parsons Brinckerhoff.

WHO: Atlanta, GA, Mayor Kasim Reed, USCM Transportation Committee Chair
Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director

WHAT: National Press Club Newsmaker Series: Release of USCM Metropolitan Transportation Survey featuring Atlanta, GA, Mayor Kasim Reed   

WHEN: Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: National Press Club
First Amendment Lounge
529 14th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20045

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more.  There are 1,210 such cities in the country today, each represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the Mayor. Find us on facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED