|
National Tluq or Historic I reservatlon Fax: 202-6734038 1 To: Duvall David
<br />Page 1 of3 Monday, July 08,1996 8:13:35 PM
<br />• ]urge 1996 Vol. b
<br />Preservation Advocate,
<br />News
<br />National Trust for Historic Preservation
<br />Department of Public Policv
<br />I
<br />Ei ihancements
<br />C)nference Held in
<br />s Aashington, D.C.; °
<br />ork Begins for ISTEA
<br />Ri .tauthorization
<br />0
<br />The ;'ederal Highway Administration, in cooperation
<br />witl the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the
<br />Rail -to-Trails Conservancy, Scenic America and the
<br />Surf cc Transportation Policy Project, presented a two-
<br />day. •-iational conference on June 9-11, 1996 focusing on
<br />the 'ransportation Enhancements Program and its
<br />effe, s on communities across America. The conference
<br />sho, cased the multiple benefits typical of
<br />Tra, iportation Enhancement projects; explored the
<br />elen :nts of successful State Enhancement Programs; and
<br />adds �ssed the prospects for reauthorization of the
<br />enhicements set aside program of the Intermodal
<br />Surl cc Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), which
<br />Till e taken up by Congress in 1997.
<br />The Transportation Enhancements program is a
<br />desk nated 10% share of each state's allocation of the
<br />$13. billion Surface Transportation Program - a block .
<br />grar which provides flexible funding for a wide variety
<br />of ti nsportation projects. Projects undertaken with
<br />enh • icements funding have provided important new
<br />tran portation options, protected scenic roadside vistas,
<br />con- rbuted to Main Street revitalizations, and preserved
<br />hist ric transportation facilities. Of the ten specific
<br />Tra, iportation Enhancements activities authorized in
<br />IST! A, four have historic preservation aspects, and
<br />togc her they account for 30%, or $486,235,598, of the
<br />$1.6 pillion in enhancements projects approved as of
<br />Feb 1ary, 1996.
<br />In f, .1r major ways, Enhancement projects have
<br />con, •ibuted to making transportation more fully a part
<br />of tl ! communities it serves. First, the program is
<br />imp wing our multi -modal transportation system.
<br />Second, it is making an important, measurable
<br />contribution to economic development in America's
<br />communities. Third, the program is promoting livable
<br />communities, and fourth, the Enhancements program is
<br />fostering an unprecedented level of public involvement
<br />and support for transportation projects.
<br />Nevertheless, opponents of the enhancements program
<br />[who believe that transportation investments that do not
<br />involve concrete and asphalt are complete wastes of
<br />taxpayers' money] are forming a powerful chorus in the
<br />ISTEA reauthorization debate. Their motto and rallying
<br />cry is "You will run out of grass before we will run out
<br />of is
<br />The value of the progressive features of ISTEA,
<br />including unprecedented funding flexibility, a strong
<br />local government role in decision making, an emphasis
<br />on multi -modal planning, greater participation on the
<br />part of the public, and attention to environmental
<br />impacts, will have to be vigorously defended.
<br />There can be no retreat from the hard-won progressive
<br />principles embodied in ISTEA. The National Trust for
<br />Historic Preservation takes great pride in having been
<br />one of the principal leaders in promoting those
<br />principles in 1991, and we intend to take the lead in
<br />defending them in the upcoming reauthorization
<br />struggle.
<br />There are two steps you can take to help right now.
<br />First, items have been appearing in newspapers around
<br />the country mis-characterizing and ridiculing locally
<br />developed and state approved Enhancements projects. If
<br />you see articles like this, or recall having seen one in
<br />recent months, please find copies and send them to the
<br />National Trust's Public Policy Department, to,the
<br />attention of Dan Costello. Our mailing address, fax
<br />number and e-mail address are listed on the last nage.
<br />We want to work with you to put agroUip together to
<br />visit the newspaper and set the record straight about the
<br />value of Transportation Enhancements and the absolute
<br />necessity of building upon the advancements in
<br />transportation policy contained in.ISTEA.
<br />Second, we are assembling a working group within the
<br />4
<br />
|