Please respond to this alert by close of business, Eastern Time on November 23. This data should be nationally standardized, comparable among regions, electronic, geographically specific, and readily accessible to the public. These organizations are concerned about the impact that patterns of transportation investment are having on communities. Since low-income communities, especially communities of color, are rarely involved in transportation planning activities, decisions that impact them are often made without their consent or consultation. Individuals and local jurisdictions who attempt to affect the transportation planning process and have tried to obtain information disclosing how federal transportation funds are spent locally encounter numerous obstacles.
People have a right to know how federal transportation funds are spent in their communities.
The Department of Transportation should use the opportunity created by the Sarbanes amendment to bring new accountability and transparency to the transportation planning process. The Department should also utilize existing technology to ensure that this information is easily understood by community-members. GIS mapping software is a planning industry standard. By establishing basic standards of accountability, the Department can create enormous benefit at minimal expense. This amendment, if implemented properly in the federal regulations, could advance several principles of the current Administration.