TCI Regional Policy Design Stakeholder Submissions

TCI is a once in a generation opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and raise much needed revenue to modernize our transportation system on a regional scale. Unreliable transit is taking time residents should be spending at work or with their families. Those without choices have to drive and the resulting traffic congestion is further damaging our environment, public health, and quality of life.

My name is Shaniya Davies. I go to Weaver High School in Hartford Connecticut and I'm an intern with the Transport Hartford Academy. I've been researching the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI), a regional effort to reduce pollution, improve transportation, and develop clean energy. We want to see more people care about climate change.

Last summer, our organization surveyed over 800 people who live and work in CT who believe our state should adopt TCI. Transportation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, mostly because of how much we drive cars - so we need better options. For TCI’s investments, 92% of our survey respondents want to see CT Improving existing public transportation, including buses, trains, and dial a ride, while 91% said expanding /Improving sidewalks and bike lanes to provide safe alternatives to driving should be spending priorities.

As a teenager with asthma who gets around mostly by walking and taking the bus, public health, walking safety, and transit service are big concerns that TCI investments can help us address. Many people in my community have health issues in their systems.

I have asthma and there is too much pollution. Asthma is a serious thing to deal with people who could have asthma attacks. They could be low on breathing. It could cause death on somebody. I don't wanna risk falling in the middle of the street or getting run over by a car. TCI will promote sustainability and healthy/livable communities. Should have benefits and more effort in the environment by working together and making more increase and do better. It should change all stages of transportation, including people who take the bus in making decisions planning, design, and construction. We can have better data analysis to measure resources, benefits, and outcomes of a community.

Like for some people that have experience from taking the bus. For example I take the bus and the bus schedules don't even be right i would have to sit in the cold to wait for the bus. I was going to work by taking the bus and i waited for almost an hour for the bus come and i was late to work.So i would have to take the bus earlier than what i usually do so i wouldn’t be late and end up getting in trouble from my job, They Should have better routes and access,time management lets others know the exact time instead of waiting for a certain amount of time for the bus to arrive at the stop or destination.

Sidewalks should look better so people can walk without walking into cracks, holes, and more things on the ground. This is important for public health, cutting pollution, helping my community.

My name is Keonte and I'm an Intern for Transport Hartford at the Center for Latino Progress. I attend A.I Prince Tech as a 12th grader and I live in Hartford. The Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) is a very important matter, it can play a big role in our future. TCI should be talked about amongst younger age groups because our future should be safe from pollutants that encourage global warming. To accomplish this, TCI is a way for states to work together, developing policies to reduce carbon emission and deliver better transportation systems. Encouraging this could better our air quality. Hartford has lots of pollution from the highways and car traffic, which has led to high asthma rates in my community.

Public health investments from TCI money could reduce those high rates. considering a large number of kids that go to the middle school are,
TCI investments can support more crossing guards throughout the streets as well as enforcing the stop signs more. Cars tend to speed; this is a safety issue that can cause a lot of damage.
THA has organized workshops and meetings to discuss these matters. I want to see more transit-oriented development in communities and more people being able to use the bus in their area without worrying about how to get to where they are going. We also need a better traveling system that has more clean energy, reducing carbon emissions. TCI is meant to make people feel safe and secure me personally. I support it cause it can be a benefit to everyone, old or young taking a change now can positively change our future for others to come.

I care about reducing pollution from transportation because it contributes to climate change.
Thank you Governor Baker for your leadership. I request that Massachusetts formally join the program.
I ask that the leadership chooses the most aggressive greenhouse gas reduction target that the most recent climate science tells us we need.
I urge that the policy prioritizes clean investments in areas overburdened by pollution and/or for those who don’t have access to transportation choices.

It is hugely important that we adopt and implement TCI so we can reduce emissions and combat climate change. THANK YOU GOVERNOR BAKER for your leadership on this issue. I request that Massachusetts formally join TCI, and that the leadership chooses the most aggressive greenhouse gas reduction target that the most recent climate science tells us we need. TCI is modeled after an existing program (RGGI) that WORKS and has actually brought costs down over time. TCI is not a tax--it is a market-based solution that will drive change; change we MUST embrace if we are to avert this climate crisis. What's more, the policy will enable funds to be directed to improve transportation - these should prioritize clean investments in areas overburdened by pollution and where there is not much access to transportation.

I strongly support both the collaborative approach and the mission of TCI. If we're to survive as a planet, we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions and modernize our transportation system. I applaud your commitment to capping transportation emissions and placing a fee on fuel imports.

As a garden designer concentrating on environmental responsibility, I care about reducing pollution from transportation. I appreciate Governor Baker's ongoing leadership on the environment, and request that Massachusetts formally join the program.
I hope that decisionmakers choose the most aggressive greenhouse gas reduction target that the most recent climate science tells us we need. Our state's policy should prioritize clean energy investments in areas overburdened by pollution and/or for those who don’t have access to transportation choices.

Since human-driven climate change is, scientifically acknowledged, the greatest danger to life on our tiny little rock in this enormous universe then it is imperative that intelligent decisions must be made in all areas. You have the chance and responsibility to design and enforce a drastic reduction of
the pollution emitted by the burgeoning number of combustion-powered vehicles on our already crowded roads.
A fifth major extinction on our planet may not be reversible but, for the sake of ALL of earth's lifeforms, please make every effort to reduce all forms of dangerous pollution. Amen.