Transportation accounts for over 50% of carbon dioxide emissions in Virginia, and light-duty vehicles for personal use are responsible for the vast majority. Worse still, exhaust from cars is a notorious source of fine particulate matter, infamous for causing cardiovascular and respiratory disease, as well as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and lead.
But most people are forced into overreliance on cars by inadequate public transit systems and walking and biking infrastructure. It is only with adequate funding for alternative modes of transportation that we can ultimately achieve system-wide safe, healthy, and sustainable transportation.
Even as people increasingly rely on electric cars, we know that we need to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by at least 20% to meet our climate goals. And lane widening has been repeatedly demonstrated to not improve congestion – while frequent and reliable transit, as well as transit-oriented development, are proven traffic-reducers.
We, the undersigned, call on our state lawmakers to make significant increases in state investment in transit and transit-oriented development.
Sincerely,
