Lots of people ask: Is Washington, D.C. paying attention to us?

Because of this inquiry, it’s particularly motivating to listen to when Washington in fact respond to our views on a concern and changes its mind. Our right to “petition the government” and express our opinions is preserved in the UNITED STATE Constitution as well as the First Amendment.So right here’s what

took place: Congress informed the Department of Transportation (DOT) to produce methods to measure the efficiency of roadways as well as highways so that future investments would make even more sense. DOT reacted with a strategy that concentrated solely on the measurement of rate and also traveling times entailing specific cars as well as trucks.We did not agree

keeping that technique. Back in September, Safe Children supplied our input in a main method,”Making the Dancing of Road Usage Smart as well as Safe for All Who Share Them. “We stated that the dimension task should be all natural, examining everyone who share the roads. Along with cars and trucks and also vehicles, it needs to determine public transportation, college buses, youngsters walking to school as well as people on bicycles. Safe Kids, in addition to various other supporters, asked the DOT to reassess the dimension strategy and also develop even more integrated standards reflective of current concerns.And why is this so crucial? If the measurement does not look at how we’re traveling on roads, there will certainly be a prejudice for auto web traffic without factor to consider of the effects of roadway sharing– which, subsequently, affects exactly how safety and security will certainly– or will not– be crafted into road projects!Well, the DOT concurred. Late last year, the DOT revealed its brand-new prepare for determining freeway as well as roadway web traffic, requiring state transportation firms to report on the road systems addressing all road individuals– similar to we suggested.What will alter with this brand-new system?Under the brand-new system, state DOTs will certainly now need to measure the number of individuals in each vehicle. In the previous system, a bus filled

with 20 individuals would count the like a truck with only one vehicle driver. The new standards provide motivations for states to buy congestion-reducing modes of transportation such as public transit, carpools, bicycles as well as pedestrians.In addition, the way the system gauges rate and also travel time will now mirror the amount of individuals remain in each automobile–” person-miles.”This will permit the DOT to make up the results of carpooling as well as public transportation systems. Just think about the favorable benefits of moving children to college on institution buses– it’s still the safest method to get youngsters to college– notwithstanding the heartbreaking college bus crash in Chattanooga, Tenn.All of these changes produce rewards for states to buy modes of transportation and smartly engineered freeways to move vehicles with much less overloaded streets. It can minimize carbon dioxide exhausts. Crucial from our perspective, it will cause safer roadway systems!

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