70+ Organizations Across Maryland, DC, and Virginia Exhort Congress to Fund Transit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2020
Washington, D.C. — Today, more than 90 public and private sector leaders representing more than 70 organizations sent a letter to members of the congressional delegation for Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia strongly urging them to provide emergency funding for transit agencies. Signatories range from DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, and Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott to suburban elected officials, leading business groups, labor unions, and non-profit organizations.
The CARES Act, passed in March, helped transit agencies survive dramatic losses in revenue and fund new and enhanced cleaning protocols, but the funding is running out. When it does, transit agencies will be forced to cut service, furlough or lay off workers, and redistribute capital funds that are intended for repairs and expansion. The harm caused to the viability, safety, and reliability of transit service in the short and long term will impede our economic recovery and complicate the lives of millions of Americans who rely on transit.
The diversity of organizations represented in the letter reflects the widespread recognition of the crisis and the urgent need for emergency funding. There is overwhelming support for federal relief to save our transit systems and alleviate some of the economic uncertainty of the pandemic. Congress must act now.
Read the full letter with signatories here.
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About the MetroNow Coalition
The MetroNow Coalition is a group of regional leaders from organizations representing businesses and non-profit advocates who came together to ensure that action was taken to put Metro—the backbone of Greater Washington’s transportation infrastructure—on a safe, smart and sustainable path forward. We are dedicated to securing comprehensive improvement of Metro’s governance, funding and operational structures. We are doubling down on our commitment to regional mobility by expanding our focus to the region’s bus system. Visit www.MetroNow.com for more information.