TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

The Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) is a once in a generation opportunity to bring a critical mass of people, their elected representatives and public and private institutions together to reduce the uses of fossil fuels. On top of that, the conscious choice to make more effective use of electric vehicles and more energy efficient transportation networks will help us turn the corner on carbon reduction and growing pessimism.

Please find attached comments on TCI's High Level Framework For A Draft Regional Policy Proposal To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution From Transportation (October 1, 2019).

Thank you, please find attached comments from 39 environmental, health, scientific, transportation, social service, and business organizations committed to advancing modern, clean, accessible, and low-carbon transportation in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on the first workshop held on April 30th.

I applaud the TCI for taking a collaborative, forward-looking approach to addressing the climate crisis through bipartisan, cooperative efforts to reduct carbon emissions from transportation. I only wish this work had started 20 years ago. I have a 15-year-old daughter and I am seriously worried about the planet her generation is inheriting.

I am a long time Geo Metro driver with my husband operating all electric cars for 10 years. I know poor people in Lewiston who want to work in Portland, but have no way to get there. I volunteer at the Gathering Place in Brunswick where many people need cheap transportation to Lewiston, via bus or train, but it's not available. The public needs regular bus routes between Lewiston and Brunswick so L/A residents have access to the major job source and services in Portland. Maine must reactivate the train line between Auburn and Portland to connect the two major urban areas of the state. Middle class workers will use this line, since it's much pleasanter, more affordable, and lower Carbon impact to ride instead of drive that distance.
I live in Topsham and support Governor Mills participation in the regional planning for greener public transportation in Maine. This plan must incorporate the most recent and best science on climate emissions from transportation. Transportation policy must be fair and inclusive for elderly, poor and handicapped people in Maine. This large group of Maine residents do not have private transportation and many need regular, affordable transport between Lewiston, Brunswick, and Portland to help meet their basic needs for essential services.
I am delighted and thankful that this policy planning includes both Republicans and Democrats, since it will work out compromises of cost, and practicality that will best serve Maine people and have support in the legislature to be enacted.
I am in the process of moving from 14 miles south of Bath to center of Topsham in order to reduce my driving time, climate impact, and costs. I am still able to walk the 1.4 miles to downtown Brunswick, yet will be working for cooperation between Topsham and Brunswick to extend Brunswick's good bus system to Topsham. This is one urban area which is only half connected via public transportation. Traffic congestion is moderate and growing both bypassing Brunswick and from Topsham to Brunswick and could be alleviated with an extended bus system. A regular bus system between Bath and Brunswick is greatly needed, since affordable housing in Brunswick is unavailable and very limited in Bath. Low income people who have no cars cannot get to work or housing between those two cities. The Brunswick Explorer bus has adapted and responded to need to transport students and refugees to and from the old Navy base at Cook's Corner.
Lanes for bicycle traffic should be established between urban areas and along scenic routes, as this can be both affordable transportation, good for people's health and reduce congestion, air pollution, and carbon emissions. Topsham has started this process of making a safe walking/biking path along the bypass connector between Rt 1 in Brunswick and Rt 196. When completed many Topsham residents will be able to walk and bike to the Topsham Fair Mall.
For decades I have wanted a dial in ride sharing system to be created using people's smart phones to schedule shared rides to work. The state and BIW have done this with vans for some of their workers. This concept could be applied to private vehicles with thought given to screening people in the system for criminal records. The state cannot guarantee safety of people using such a system, yet the potential to reduce gas miles driven is huge. Perhaps towns could create a register of screened drivers with insurance who are willing to share rides. Maine can build on our small town culture of looking after one another, and take better care of our isolated elderly and poor residents with such a service. I am part of a volunteer network of drivers with New Mainers who take non English speaking residents of Brunswick to their twice weekly English classes in Topsham. this involves scheduling about 15 drivers with 20 or more residents and setting up phone communication for cancelations. Such transportation is also provided, or connections to the bus systems, for people to attend essential meetings in Portland. BIcycles have also been given to every adult at Brunswick Landing who wants one, and training provided in bike safety and practice biking to the library.
Mostly I would like to see commuters sharing rides to minimize Carbon emissions, reduce traffic congestion and free up parking in urban areas. Thank you for this long needed subcommittee to design sensible transportation systems. Please look at European rail, and other public transport systems for adaptation to Maine's transport needs.

The structure of a program like TCI is highly targeted on the actual problem - carbon emissions -- while also providing resources for policies and programs to mediate the problem at a root cause level. TCI will need to be in force over many years, with consistent and predictable changes in its cost impacts in order to modify market behavior in a non-disruptive way. I believe the market will be receptive to the spirit and financial incentives of TCI.

As an EV owner and rider of public transit I support the MOU as a way evolve our transportation system from carbon-emitting single-rider vehicles to electrified multimodal options.

I enthusiastically support TCI as a step that PA can take to be on the forefront of working to decrease the impact of climate change. I very much hope this plan will succeed!

Its urgent we stop climate change from wrecking havoc and reducing pollution from transportation is a key component to reducing New Jersey's emissions.
Public transit investments can be made with TCI proceeds to increase economic stability for the region and decrease reliance on cars.
We need an aggressive policy to reduce emission that takes into account climate science to transition by 2030 to a renewable economy.
New Jersey has too much pollution already Newark and Jersey City have high rate of asthma in young children this is from cars and industrial pollution we can make cut backs in emissions that improve public health.