Transportation: A lifeline to the vitality of communities around the nation, an op-ed by Rep. Adriano Espaillat

As Congress prepares to consider the needs of America’s transportation infrastructure, we cannot afford to underinvest in transit, nor can we ignore the need to rethink wholesale how our transportation network should be designed in order to compete in the 21st century. Mass transit is one of the most important areas in need of investment, not just in New York, which I am proud to represent in Congress, but throughout America. Regional and local public transportation systems are critical economic drivers. They provide communities with access to jobs, education and training opportunities and services as well as reduce our collective carbon footprint by taking cars off the road.