American Highway Users Alliance

The united voice of the transportation community on highway safety and mobility.

A nonprofit advocacy organization representing nearly 350 national trade associations, corporations, small businesses, and state and local nonprofit organizations that represent over 45 million highway users.

1776 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20036
202.857.1200       fax 202.857.1220
www.highways.org
© Copyright 2002

The Road to Congress, a Pro-Highway Primer for Candidates

On November 5th, American voters will select the members of Congress who will enact the highway reauthorization bill. The law to succeed TEA-21 will set highway funding levels for the next six years, determine if those investments will continue to be linked to highway tax receipts, and provide a roadmap of the nation's transportation policies for a six-year period. That makes this year's election outcome of critical importance, not only to the transportation community, but to all motorists, as well.

To ensure that candidates understand our positions on highway issues, The Highway Users collaborated with other advocates to produce a pro-mobility educational binder. Then we set about the daunting task of coordinating their hand delivery to congressional candidates in all 50 states. Our goal is to arm the candidates — half of whom will be elected to the next Congress — with the arguments supporting the investments that ensure a safe and efficient national highway system.

The binder begins with a poll showing that 89% of the public favors candidates who believe that highway use taxes should be invested in roads and bridges. It then outlines current law, discusses the key issues Congress will face, dispels highway myths, and provides stunning new state-by-state data on highway safety, investment needs, and traffic congestion.

One compelling transportation reality shouldn't come as a surprise: Americans are choosing to drive now more than ever before — making nearly 400 billion private vehicle trips and logging 2.8 million miles annually. And they're choosing to drive to work alone; solo commuting rose again between 1990 and 2000 and now commands a whopping 78% of commuting. All other commuting modes lost market share in the 1990s. In fact, despite huge subsidies for mass transit and the creation of 65 million new jobs since 1960, the number of commuters using transit declined from 7.8 million in 1960 to just 6 million in 2000.

Why are facts like these important to Congress? They demonstrate that with more drivers driving more miles, road capacity and other improvements are essential to reducing gridlock. And it means that transportation policies that consider transit alone are destined to fail.

Road investments save lives and reduce crashes through better design and surface conditions. They create jobs and boost our economy and productivity. And there are tremendous benefits to reducing traffic congestion and easing highway travel. Easing traffic flow improves air quality, reduces fuel consumption, and speeds emergency services and product deliveries. A more efficient network of roads and bridges improves our quality of life by facilitating travel to better, higher-paying jobs and helps us achieve the American dream of affordable home ownership.

But, judging by much of the rhetoric coming from elected officials and the media, the myriad benefits of road investments aren't appreciated by many of those who set transportation policy. That's why this effort is so vital. If you haven't joined our effort to educate congressional candidates, call David Lakin at (800) 483-4544 to sign up, and if you want to see this impressive binder, click here. Hint: you'll receive a copy of the binder if you agree to set up a meeting to deliver one to a candidate for Congress.

William D. Fay
President and CEO
The Highway Users