FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 28, 2023

CONTACT: Ben Crowther: ben@americawalks.org

At the moment, the US Division of Transportation introduced the preliminary 45 winners for the  Reconnecting Communities grant program, a first-of-its-kind initiative to revive communities broken by highways and different massive roads. 

“At the moment is a serious milestone in repairing the hurt freeway constructing causes to communities – we have fun the Reconnecting Communities program and reward this Administration for launching it. However we additionally should acknowledge that this system is modest in comparison with the flood of state and federal cash nonetheless allotted for highways that divide and injury communities” stated Mike  McGinn, Government Director of America Walks.  

Here’s what is value applauding. USDOT has chosen Reconnecting Communities proposals that largely assist grassroots efforts to handle historic injustices and construct new infrastructure that promotes walkability and multimodal entry for underserved communities. With these awards, this system takes a small, however vital step to make the nation’s method to transportation planning extra accountable and sustainable. 

Right here is the remainder of the story: 

• The restricted funding for this system ($1 billion over 5 years) just isn’t equal to the overwhelming demand for reconnecting communities initiatives all through the nation.  This 12 months alone, USDOT obtained 435 purposes for this system, looking for a complete of over $2 billion in funding. 
• Many states are utilizing the inflow of versatile federal infrastructure funds to construct freeway initiatives deliberate a long time in the past earlier than we totally understood the local weather, well being, and financial injury they trigger. In communities like Houston, Milwaukee, Salt Lake Metropolis,  Shreveport, Jersey Metropolis, El Paso, Cincinnati, and Austin, (and extra), deliberate freeway expansions threaten to repeat the errors of the previous and add to the full sum of harm that can finally want restore. 

Regardless of these challenges, this stays a day to have fun. The Reconnecting Communities program presents a path to set new priorities for our transportation insurance policies, in order that they put individuals earlier than highways. To meet the promise of reconnecting communities as a precept, America  Walks urges the next subsequent steps from all ranges of presidency: 

• Dedicate further funding from all obtainable sources to show Reconnecting Communities plans into accomplished initiatives.
• Cease freeway expansions that can trigger much more injury and take away them from long-range plans. 
• Concentrate on infrastructure investments that concurrently enhance outcomes for mobility and security, well being, and the atmosphere.

“Probably the most cost-effective Reconnecting Communities challenge we might undertake at present is to  strike outdated freeway plans from the books, so we are able to totally spend money on the kinds of related,  transit-friendly, walkable and accessible communities that Individuals need”, stated McGinn.

America Walks is a nationwide non-profit devoted to advancing walkable, equitable, related,  and accessible locations in each neighborhood throughout the U.S. We’re the nationwide voice for public areas that permit individuals to securely stroll and transfer. America Walks co-hosts the Freeway Fighters  Community, a coalition of over 40 communities across the nation working to restore the harms brought on by present and proposed highways. To be taught extra, go to the Reconnecting Communities marketing campaign web page.