We believe:

• Efficient, well-planned, and frequent public transportation choices promote healthy communities, economy, and environment.
• In maintaining adequate public funding for our transportation infrastructure
• In progressive funding of transit such as fair and equitable car tabs and fares
• In massively increased annual federal investment in public transit systems, including new funding and rebalancing between federal highways and transit spending, to incentivize expansion of transit networks throughout America, give Americans cleaner transportation choices, and reduce vehicle miles traveled. These investments themselves will support millions of construction and operations jobs;
• In expanding and enhancing accessible, safe, affordable and efficient public transportation, including bus, rapid transit, ferries, high speed rail, light rail, commuter rail, conventional rail, regional and long distance rail, and on-demand “last mile”;
• In prioritizing high occupancy public transportation over highways for low occupancy vehicles
• In encouraging business to transport goods by lower-carbon methods including electric cargo vehicle or electric cargo bicycle, especially for last mile scenarios.
• In requiring public transit agencies including state-operated rail service and the Washington State Ferries to join a common statewide payment-card system, expansion of the Regional Reduced Fare Permit to all transit agencies throughout the State, and implementation of a reduced fare program to facilitate transfers between such agencies;
• In requiring cities, counties, and regional authorities to implement equitable transit oriented development and smart growth practices in their land use planning to decrease the need to drive;
• In determining the carbon pollution and social costs of carbon associated with all transportation projects;
• In regularly increasing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to levels that challenge automakers to improve fuel efficiency.
• In reducing contaminants from vehicles, such as copper, lead, 6PPD in brakes, tires, and other parts
• In requiring transportation and transit agencies to use sustainability rating tools, such as INVEST, Envision, Greenroads, or LEED, to evaluate all of their programs, policies, and projects, and to aid them in reducing their environmental footprint, social impacts, and financial costs;
• In setting and implementing aviation CO2 emissions standards at a national level that surpass the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) standards;
• In implementation of smart, aggressive purchasing of non-fossil-fuel transportation vehicles for all local, state and federal agencies including the USPS and prohibit purchase of fossil fuel based transportation vehicles when sustainable fuel based vehicles are viable based on life-cycle costs;
• Because the Environmental Protection Agency has made an Endangerment Finding that leaded aviation fuel emissions from piston aircraft contribute to pollution which endangers the public’s health and welfare, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should, to the extent possible, continue to regulate and enforce a sensible phase-out of leaded aviation fuel and facilitate the licensing and distribution of lead-free fuel;
• In reducing urban sprawl and increasing complete streets where people can walk or roll to everything they need within 15 minutes, helping to create a community that is safer and sustainable while lowering greenhouse gas emissions;
• In investing in continued local access to needed transportation infrastructure, including rural road and highway maintenance and improvement, to ensure consideration of cities and counties outside the I-5 and I-90 corridors, while shifting transportation resources away from highway expansion which has been proven to not reduce congestion but instead increases greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter;
• In building an integrated American rail system, electrifying passenger and freight rail throughout the country, expanding existing rail lines, and requesting federal investments to further develop an efficient high-speed rail service where appropriate;
• In expanding Amtrak Cascades service to Eastern Washington
• In fully funding and proceeding with the I-5 Portland to Vancouver Bridge project, to benefit each of those communities and encourage efficient transit between them by road, public transit, and bicycleIn enacting policies and expanding government support for making travel as safe as possible for pedestrians, bicycles, other non-motorized transportation, environmentally sensitive areas, and wildlife, in addition to motorized vehicles. ;
• In providing incentives for local authorities to prioritize the inclusion of safe sidewalks, and bicycle access, especially near amenities such as schools, senior facilities, medical facilities, and libraries;
• Local Public Transport should be made fare free. Public transport is disproportionately used by disadvantaged communities. The savings from no longer needed fare enforcement and additional corporate/vehicle taxes should offset the loss of revenue.
• Transportation is the highest GHG emitting sector in the U.S. and in WA state and highways emit the greatest percent; all state greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by about half by 2030;
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) must be widely available, and subsidized for lower income buyers; EVs should be utilized for business and public transportation purposes, including on-demand transit services;
• In researching and choosing technologies that minimize mining for battery and other components of energy products
• Railroad infrastructure must be operated in the public interest rather than for maximized profit;
• In researching, developing, and investing in more efficient battery storage systems;