League of Women Voters Appleton-Fox Cities writes letters of support for Valley Transit proposed project grants
In February, we wrote a letter of support for a City of Appleton’s application for funding through the United States Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant. The Downtown Appleton: Valley Transit Regional Multimodal/Joint Development Project will result in a new transit facility that improves connectivity to a diverse population and provides the foundation for development of mixed income residential units. The Project consists of a new, larger, ground level transit center, developer owned apartments on the upper floors, and a basement level with functions shared by the transit center and residential development.
From our February letter of support: “Because we advocate for socio-economic equity and justice as a core goal and component of climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience and sustainability plans for our area, we heartily endorse the need for the City of Appleton to receive the funding for the above-described Valley Transit Project. Stronger connectivity through improved public transportation, as well as additional affordable residential housing, are essential. Incorporation of green affordable housing principles would amplify the benefits of this project even further.”
In April we wrote a letter supporting Valley Transit’s application for a federal grant for the Whitman Facility Renovation. This renovation project consists of updated maintenance bays, a new fueling and bus wash lane, and an expanded bus storage area. The renovated facility will also implement the latest in sustainability, resiliency, and green energy. This project will provide a blueprint for future development projects across the nation. These upgrades are vital to Valley Transit’s service expansion and zero-emission fleet transition planning.
From our April letter of support:
“Our recent Climate Change Preparedness and Resilience study highlights the crucial importance of ensuring equitable access to vital services and essential needs such as public transportation. The positions adopted through this study support efforts to plan and implement changes to community infrastructure. These will move our municipalities toward climate resilience, with examples such as energy generation and transport systems and energy conservation efforts, including the promotion of creating sustainable energy systems in businesses. We also advocate for reducing emissions to lower pollutant levels and mitigate climate change acceleration. We strongly support efforts to make community infrastructure systems more resilient and sustainable”
It is great that our reputation for thorough study is respected by the City of Appleton and our federal government. Special thanks to Appleton Resiliency Manager Steve Schrage for reaching out to invite our League to endorse these projects.