New Leadership. New Direction. A New Philadelphia.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2007

CONTACT: Melanie Johnson
(215) 545-9700
(267) 984-2027 cell
melanie@nutter2007.com

NUTTER RELEASES HIS ‘BETTER TRANSPORTATION NOW’ PLAN

Philadelphia, April 3, 2007— “We inherited a transportation system that other regions would pay billions of dollars to have, and many are doing just that. But we treat this asset as a burden rather than as a foundation for 21st Century prosperity.” With those words Michael Nutter began talking about his future plans for Philadelphia’s beleaguered transportation system.

“We need Transportation for everything,” said Nutter. “It takes us to work, school, home, shopping, a large number of Philadelphians depend on it for their very livelihood.”

“Cities stop functioning when transportation stops moving. The economic value of that movement is enormous, but it is also a huge factor in quality of life and personal satisfaction. If we are ever to have a more effective transportation system, one that works for city and suburban residents then the time for change is now.

Following are a few of the things that I would do as Mayor to improve the transportation system:

• Create a new Department of Transportation to build a shared vision and coordinated decision-making among agencies and departments - Streets, Commerce, Public Property, Traffic Police, City Planning, the School District, Fairmount Park, the Airport, the waterfront and port agencies, SEPTA, PATCO, PennDOT, Amtrak, and DVRPC in order to save money and improve conditions throughout the City’s transportation system.
• Establish priorities for the Department of Transportation, including enhanced pedestrian safety and improved walkability, roadway maintenance and an extensive bicycle network, reversing the steep decline in local street maintenance since 2000, modernizing the governance of SEPTA to better represent City interests and resources, improving the service and customer orientation at SEPTA, improving parking and signage throughout the City, and increasing the share of federal transportation funding that comes to the City and region.
• Lobby for dedicated and sufficient funding for SEPTA in accordance with the proposals of Governor Ed Rendell’s Transportation Funding and Reform Commission.
• Convene a Regional Mobility Commission modeled on San Francisco’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission to enhance the ability of the region to cooperate for the benefit of everyone who lives and works in the region.

“I will make the leader of the new Department of Transportation a member of my cabinet because transportation is so critical to this city’s future” said Nutter. “I believe it is important to coordinate the local and regional agencies in order to ensure that Philadelphia and our suburban neighbors share a common transportation agenda. This is the kind of leadership I will provide – working on tough issues with a common goal and making things work.”

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PO Box 58550 • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
Phone: (215) 545-9700 • Facsimile: (215) 545-4088
www.NutterForMayor.com

Paid for by Nutter for Mayor, Kahiga A. Tiagha, Esq., Treasurer

Last Updated: May 1, 2007