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<br />Regional Council of Mayors <br />Model City Council Resolution on Transportation Priority <br /> <br />Regional C~until ofMiror~ <br /> <br />Whereas, too many Minnesotans unnecessarily lose time and money due to traffic gridlock: <br />Metropolitan area drivers each absorb a "congestion tax" of over $700 per year, and <br />collectively waste over 93 million gallons of fuel annually; and <br /> <br />Whereas, one million additional people are expected to live in metropolitan region in the next <br />two decades, further exacerbating our already unacceptable traffic congestion; and <br /> <br />Whereas, Minnesota's investment in roads and transit continues to fall behind our peer <br />metropolitan regions in the United States; and <br /> <br />Whereas, congested and unsafe roads hinder economic prosperity, erode quality of life, and <br />complicate munemus aspects of life in Minnesota: parents spend less tili1e with their kids <br />and more time in traffic, emergency vehicles take longer to respond, and truckloads of <br />consumer goods increase in price as commercial vehicles are unduly delayed moving freight <br />from origin to destination; and <br /> <br />Whereas, solving our transportation problem is a complex and long-term challenge that will <br />require various strategies; and <br /> <br />Whereas, Minnesota needs to adequately and strategically expand both its transit system <br />and roads with predictable, accountable, and long-term funding sources; and <br /> <br />Whereas, new transportation financing must prioritize public transit within a comprehensive, <br />multi-modal, interconnected transportation system that serves the 11-county metro area; and <br />that light rail and commuter rail lines, along with expanded bus service, be expanded to <br />support the population and businesses in our fast-growing region; and <br /> <br />Whereas, urgent, courageous and visionary leadership is vital to forging a sustainable, long- <br />term transportation plan for our state and region. This leadership must drive progress on <br />such a long-range plan and maintain accountability for the process to the public. <br /> <br />THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, as elected leaders representing cities in Minnesota's <br />fast-growing 11-county metropolitan region, we hereby declare our belief that transportation <br />has become one of the most vexing problems facing our communities and state and requires <br />urgent attention from our state's leaders. We call upon the leaders in the legislative and <br />executive branches to create a long-term solution to our transportation needs, and to do so in <br />the 2005 legislative session. <br /> <br />Name of Mayor (Print) <br /> <br />Name of City <br /> <br />Signature <br /> <br />4.26.05 <br />