Complete Streets Act of 2009.

"Ever found yourself walking down a five-lane road with no sidewalk? Been forced into a close call with traffic while biking through a busy intersection? Or watched your kids cross a street with no crosswalks to catch their school bus?
Those frightening experiences are all too common. But it doesn't have to be that way, as anyone who's ever strolled down a tree-lined sidewalk or ridden on a well-designed bike lane can attest.
We have a chance right now to get Congress to change those old road-building habits and make sure our streets are safe and inviting for everyone who uses them - not just those driving cars.
Make sure your representatives and senators become co-sponsors of "complete streets" legislation.
One-third of Americans either can't drive or choose not to. Yet, most communities around the country are laced with roads that are inhospitable, at best, to people traveling by foot, bicycle, or public transportation. For older Americans, children, and people with disabilities, these kinds of streets are especially dangerous.
Complete streets dramatically change the fabric of a community, making it possible for children to walk and bike to school safely, giving seniors m ore security traveling to appointments, and providing everyone with safer, greener and more convenient ways of getting around without their cars - a smart option, considering almost half of all our trips are under three miles.
Local governments are already leading the way. More than 80 state and local governments have passed ordinances mandating that new road construction provide a full menu of transportation options to meet the needs of everyone using the road. Now we need Congress to take the next step.
This week, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and Congresswoman Doris Matsui of Sacramento introduced legislation into Congress that would require all state and metropolitan transportation authorities to adopt and begin implementing complete streets policies within two years.
But they won't be able to make complete streets into law without more co-sponsors on Capitol Hill.
Ask your representative and senators to become co-sponsors of this bold national complete streets initiative.
Complete streets are cost-effective, allow people to fight climate change by leaving their cars at home, improve safety for everyone using the road, and encourage active lifestyles that will reap benefits for a generation. We must change the status quo and make our streets safe and accessible for everyone, and that change can start with this complete streets legislation. Thank you for your support of our campaign".
 Ilana Preuss
Outreach and Field Director
Transportation for America

IMAGE CREDIT: SEAN MCCABE

"The crash of 2008 continues to reverberate loudly nationwide—destroying jobs, bankrupting businesses, and displacing homeowners. But already, it has damaged some places much more severely than others. On the other side of the crisis, America’s economic landscape will look very different than it does today. What fate will the coming years hold for New York, Charlotte, Detroit, Las Vegas? Will the suburbs be ineffably changed? Which cities and regions can come back strong? And which will never come back at all?"

by Richard Florida

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