(Chicago) … U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, introduced a bill on Monday that would reauthorize federal surface transportation funding to the tune of $450 billion and reform how the federal government invests in transportation infrastructure. Illinois transportation advocates commend Rep. Oberstar for his leadership on renewing federal surface transportation funding, which expires within a matter of weeks. They are working actively in coalition with Transportation for America (T4America) to help shape the bill so that it goes even further to ensure federal transportation investments help the U.S. and Illinois meet broader economic, energy, climate and health goals.
To learn more about this important legislation, join Illinois and national transportation experts for a media telebriefing on Thursday, June 25, at 10 a.m. CST. Find out how the bill would affect Illinois and regional planning, and what specific reforms local advocates are pushing for to ensure Illinois and metropolitan Chicago have the transportation options necessary to remain economically competitive, environmentally sustainable, and socially equitable.
WHAT: Media telebriefing on U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar’s (D-Minn.) bill to reauthorize federal surface transportation funding and reform transportation investment goals and decision-making
WHO:
Kevin Brubaker, Deputy Director, Environmental Law & Policy Center
James Corless, Director, Transportation for America
Jacky Grimshaw, Vice President for Policy, Center for Neighborhood Technology
Brian Imus, State Director, Illinois PIRG
Peter Skosey, Vice President, Metropolitan Planning Council
WHEN: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 10 a.m. CST
CALL-IN NUMBER: To participate in this call, please dial 712-432-6100. When prompted, please enter the participant pass code: 90989#.
Please RSVP to Mandy Burrell Booth, MPC Assistant Communications Director, at 312-863-6018, or mburrell@metroplanning.org