What's at stake on Nov. 8: Transportation

November 3, 2011

Bob McDonnell has failed over and over again to fulfill a key campaign promise: fix Virginia's transportation problems. He failed to support high speed rail, he now wants to build toll booths on 95, and reintroduce an ABC privatization proposal that his own party has already rejected.

Progressive Point: Virginia families know: its taking longer and longer to make it home from work, to get to the grocery store, or to that meeting across town. Bob McDonnell promised to find dedicated revenue for transportation, but thanks to his budget cuts our commutes, bridges, and roads keep getting worse--hurting both our economy and day-to-day quality of life. Today, the State Senate is the only bullwark against McDonnell's transportation mismanagement.  Every year we have less money to build new roads and public transit; soon we will only have funds to fix the ones we already have.  Without responsible leadership in the State Senate and your vote on Tuesday, Virginia's transportation crisis will continue to worsen for our families and our local businesses.  If Bob McDonnell and his Tea Party agenda are allowed to take the wheel in Richmond, we will all be stuck be sitting in traffic for years to come.

Get The Facts:

"Many GOP candidates acknowledge privately that any serious attempt to improve the transportation network requires new funding... Unfortunately most of what they say doesn't make much sense...  Virginia last raised its gas tax, the major funding source for transportation, in 1986. Inflation and fuel-efficient cars have depleted that stream of revenue." (Washington Post)

*"Virginia could get far more bang for its precious transportation buck by focusing on local street connections, and most of all repairing crumbling roads and bridges. Instead, the McDonnell administration seems bent on repeating the mistakes of the 1950s: building unsustainable transportation networks at the periphery while letting a more central economic engine sputter." (Greater Greater Washington)

"Virginia drivers may be asked to pay tolls along Interstate 95, but the revenue from the tolls would contribute little to needed road maintenance and construction throughout the state." (Virginia Statehouse News)

Tweet it: If McDonnell and the Tea Party take the wheel on Nov 8, we'll be stuck sitting in traffic for years http://bit.ly/w4SrvJ via @ProgressVA

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