31. Move Oregon Forward — Cover Letter
31. Move Oregon Forward — Cover Letter
Dear Members of the Governor’s Prosperity Council, On behalf of Move Oregon Forward, a coalition of transportation and environmental advocacy organizations, we are pleased to share the attached report, Smarter Investing in Transportation for a Stronger Oregon Economy, as a resource for the Council’s work. At its core, transportation policy is not separate from economic policy; it is economic policy. The way Oregon raises, prioritizes, and spends transportation dollars directly affects the strength and success of our economy. The report, a compilation of best practices from across the United States of America and other countries, demonstrates that Oregon’s strongest transportation business case is not a status quo approach that too often defaults to costly expansion before lower-cost preservation, safety, operational, and multimodal strategies. Rather, it is a disciplined investment approach that creates durable transportation solutions. The report demonstrates a need to focus on maintenance and repair of the current system and additional investments in: ● Improved safety infrastructure ● Expanded transit and active transportation options ● Transportation electrification and charging infrastructure ● Clean energy made in the Northwest, powering clean electric vehicles, combined with grid resilience ● Efficient land use Providing people with transportation options and electrifying the system will lower household costs, connect more workers to jobs, improve access to customers and main streets, and generate more economic value for each public dollar. The Council’s work offers an important opportunity to connect Oregon’s economic strategy with its transportation strategy. If Oregon wants a stronger economy, it needs a transportation system that gives people and businesses more reliable, affordable, and efficient ways to move. Safety, transit, walking and biking, electrification, freight reliability, and good governance should not be treated as side issues. They are core economic infrastructure. Please use this report as a resource as the Council develops recommendations for the Governor and the state. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the findings further. Sincerely, Move Oregon Forward
Parent: Appendix E: Submissions & Feedback · PDF: p. 295