Transportation Choices 2020 Initiative Nominated for Minnesota Environmental Initiative Award

The Transportation Choices 2020 (TC2020) initiative, headed up by Transit for Livable Communities, was nominated for a Minnesota Environmental Initiative award. The TC2020 initiative brought together numerous organizations to advocate for a fully-funded, region-wide transit system by the year 2020, and the Transit Partners coalition was integral in the passing of the 2008 transportation bill. The award has been given out annually since 2002 by the Minnesota Environmental Initiative to organizations who “have achieved extraordinary environmental outcomes by harnessing the power of partnership.”

For the TC2020 initiative, Transit for Livable communities partnered with the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability; Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1005; Fresh Energy; ISAIAH; League of Women Voters Minnesota; Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy; Minnesota Environmental Partnership; Minnesota Senior Federation; and Sierra Club, North Star Chapter. The initiative also included partnerships with local business leaders, including the Itasca Project and metropolitan Chambers of Commerce. Finally, the coalition was supported by elected officials, most notably House Representatives Frank Hornstein (DFL-Minneapolis), Ron Erhardt (R-Edina), Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park), Shelley Madore (DFL-Apple Valley), Margaret Anderson-Kelliher (Minneapolis), and Bernard Lieder (DFL-Crookston) and Senators Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis), Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul), Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport), and Dan Larson (DFL-Bloomington).

Together, they secured funding that makes it possible for the Twin Cities region to start building out a region-wide transit system. The new revenue will also help Minnesota:

• Construct eight new dedicated transitways (i.e. light rail, commuter rail, and bus rapid transit)
• Double bus ridership by 2020
• Create better transit facilities and new park & ride capacity
• Provide revenue to local governments for bicycle and pedestrian projects
• Expand transit in Greater Minnesota

This region-wide transit system will be a historic step forward in addressing environmental problems caused by an unbalanced transportation system. Changing Minnesota’s transportation patterns to include more opportunities to take transit will start addressing air quality, water quality, and wetland protection issues in our state. Increasing transit options will reduce car travel in the region by one million miles by 2020, helping to protect Minnesota’s great outdoors.  

The other finalists in the Energy and Climate Protection category are Global Warming 101 Initiative and Schaar’s Bluff Gathering Center.

View the other finalists in all the catagories this year.