The Regional Transportation District (RTD) plans an array of activities as part of “Stand Up for Transportation Day” – a national day of advocacy on April 9 to create awareness and support for long-term, sustainable transportation funding.
The effort is being led by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) to push the U.S. Congress to pass a long-term transportation spending bill. The current funding bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP 21), expires May 31. RTD General Manager and CEO Phillip Washington initiated the idea in his role as this year’s chair of APTA.
“It’s time for us to work together to persuade congress — Republicans and Democrats alike — to act in the best interest of our country to repair, strengthen and build transportation infrastructure,” said Washington. “The opportunity is now to send a clear, united message to congress to set aside partisanship and move from impressive talk to impressive action.”
RTD is collaborating with various transportation partners on this effort including the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Colorado Association of Transit Agencies, the Denver Regional Council of Governments, the City and County of Denver, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Denver Partnership, Transit Alliance, the Colorado Contractors Association and other regional transportation organizations.
Signature Bus Tour
Leading up to Stand Up for Transportation Day (SU4T), RTD will take the SU4T show on the road through a “signature bus tour” to all 15 RTD director districts in RTD’s service area. A specially branded bus will make a stop in each district at locations that draw a crowd – select Park-n-Rides, a park, a rec center, a farmer’s market, a city main street – and give people the chance to actually sign the bus as a visible show of advocacy. A grassroots video will capture the bus tour and be part of RTD’s social media campaign. All along the bus tour, RTD staff will also encourage people to sign the SU4T online petition.
Unity Parade and Rally at Denver Union Station
On April 9, RTD and its transportation partners will hold a unity parade down the 16th Street Mall from Market Street Plaza to Denver Union Station, where a rally will take place. Leading the parade will be various modes of transportation including buses, shuttles, vans and bicycles followed by regional leaders and members of the public. Participants will wear matching SU4T t-shirts, carry signs and wave “transportation rally towels” as they march to Union Station – an iconic example of the importance of federal transportation funds. Of the $480 million budget to redevelop Denver’s Union Station’s transportation elements, $390 million is from various forms of federal funding.
The rally will feature a series of speakers from a cross-section of the community sharing brief comments about the importance of transportation in their lives. Invited speakers will include a transit dependent rider, a veteran, a construction worker, a student, transportation officials and members of Colorado’s congressional delegation.
