The Future of Transportation

Last year, Minnesota passed major transportation and land use legislation that will help fight climate change in our state and make our communities more livable and equitable by doing so. It is significant in a state where our transportation policy historically did the opposite. When the Twin Cities built our federal highway decades ago, it encouraged sprawl and directly harmed Black communities and cultural centers in North Minneapolis and Rondo through displacement and physical segregation while polluting the corridors people lived near for generations. Equity and justice are becoming more central to transportation policy decisions and conversations and we're seeing signs of progress because of it.

I had the honor of working on 2023's landmark policies with our state legislators. And today, these laws have gained attention from across the country. Minnesota is now viewed as a leader on this front, and we must continue to be one for lasting impact.  
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Last Monday, I traveled to Washington D.C. where I was invited to meet with the Future of Transportation Caucus, members of Congress committed to creating a transporation system that emphasizes equity, access, and sustainability. I was joined by the Rocky Mountain Institute, Transportation for America and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, and we discussed the challenges with transportation funding overprioritizing highways and how Minnesota is approaching that problem. We also covered the ways Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding may worsen climate change efforts by fueling highway expansion. While everyone wants safe infrastructure in good repair, adding "just one more lane" to our roads encourages traffic demand, doesn't alleviate congestion, and only exacerbates our climate crisis.
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Speaking with Congressional staff about Minnesota's approach to reducing greenhouse gases
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Our partners in Congress need to know how infrastructure funding is being spent in ways that work against our shared goals for a sustainable and just future. It is critical to control highway expansion in Minnesota and create better transportation options for people that don't create negative impacts on our communities or our planet. Expanded highways are investments in longer commutes, meaning less time we can spend with our families and friends and doing the things we care about. It also leads to urban sprawl, which isn't fiscally sustainable and eats up our agricultural and natural land. Being thoughtful with our resources is a Minnesotan value.

As part of my visit, I spoke with staff from Senator Ed Markey’s office. They are working on the GREEN Streets Act, federal legislation to establish national goals on greenhouse gas emissions that follows progress made by Minnesota and Colorado. I also met with a Senator Tina Smith’s team, who was interested in the transportation and land use law and excited about working on ways we can reduce greehouse gases at every level of government. I was also thrilled to learn she’s working on a national energy efficiency standard, an effort she championed before the pandemic. Working with our federal partners by sharing on-the-ground impact in our district is key to mitigating the harm of climate change and taking the bold action this moment requires.
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We know that transportation and land use in Minnesota impacts our local community's health and well-being in addition to global climate efforts. It's as important as ever for our state to lead because our progress can inspire the rest of our country—it already has. This is work I am excited to lead into the future, continuing our district’s legacy improving the daily lives of Minnesotans.

Onward, 
​Katie Jones
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