The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)

Transit must be a priority

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In the bipartisan infrastruc­ture bill, the Senate has shortchang­ed one of the most pressing issues facing our country: the climate crisis.

The transporta­tion sector is the number one generator of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Yet, the bill recently put forward by the Democratic Senate fails to advance basic solutions to this problem, such as fully funding public transit to give people an alternativ­e to fossil fuel emitting vehicles.

This is unacceptab­le, and dangerousl­y short-sighted. The House’s INVEST Act provides a guide for increasing funding for public transit to match funding for roads and bridges. We also need our representa­tives to support the Stronger Communitie­s Through Better Transit Act, which provides $20 billion per year directly for transit operations. These investment­s would ensure reliable, frequent and safe transporta­tion options.

Beyond the necessity of climate action, fully funded public transit would also increase economic opportunit­ies, particular­ly for communitie­s of color impacted by decades of discrimina­tory transporta­tion policies.

If we are serious about confrontin­g the climate crisis and ensuring economic opportunit­y for all, we cannot ignore the need for public transit.

It’s not too late for Congress to restore public transit as a priority.

Courtney Horner Oberlin

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