Reducing Unemployment Made Easy (Yes to Transit!)

The easy way to create twice as many jobs, is just to fund more public transportation. It’s THAT easy.

Studies show that funding public transportation over highway infrastructure creates twice as many jobs for every dollar spent. Now as Congress and the Administration discuss a possible jobs bill, it’s important that we as a nation understand what the smart move is. Mr. President, if you are going to fund infrastructure to create jobs and stimulate the economy…. go green. Please.

Currently, funds from the Recovery Act to highways reach almost $16 Billion. Public transportation received four times less (at $4 Billion). However, per each billion dollars spent public transportation created over 16,000 jobs where highway projects had just above 8,000. So not only does public transportation infrastructure make for more valuable real estate, healthier citizens, and faster commute times, but will also help turn our economy around in other ways by creating more sustainable jobs for every American out there.

The next time you vote for a government official, consider his/her stance on public transportation — do they want to help or hurt our economy?

Excerpt from Smart Growth America <here>
Full article/report from Smart Growth America <here>