Talking Transportation

Submitted by Tracy Kolian

Although climate change policy is largely in the air, conversations around the country are shifting toward transportation policy. The biggest federal transportation funding package and sixth largest bill in history called SAFETEA‑LU is scheduled for reauthorization this fall.

Reauthorization provides an opportunity to rewrite transportation policy that is more in line with 21st century needs and goals: a more equitable, accountable, and health promoting comprehensive transportation system.

This year, transportation is one of APHA's top legislative priorities. APHA is working with Transportation4America http://t4america.org/ to promote transportation policy that ensures public health and safety is adequately supported in the reauthorized bill. T4America, with APHA's support, recently unveiled: The Route to Reform: a Blueprint for a 21st Century Federal Transportation Program ‑ see APHA's newsrelease in support of the blueprint: http://www.apha.org/about/news/pressreleases/2009/T4America_blueprint.htm. 

In addition to collaborating with T4America, APHA is leading its own charge to ensure future transportation policy promotes health and safety. A supplement to the policy publication, "At the Intersection of Public Health and Safety, Promoting Health Transportation Policy," is APHA's own transportation and public health agenda for national policy-makers featuring a list of transportation principles, a brief of the health cost and benefits associated with transportation, and talking points for public health and safety advocates. All of these materials will be posted on the APHA Web site and highlighted in various outreach channels. In fact, be sure to read the cover story of the May issue of The Nation's Health by Kim Krisberg titled "Advocates: Transportation and public health policy go hand‑in‑hand."

If you would like to join the conversation, please contact Tracy Kolian at tracy.kolian@apha.org.