The Alliance believes we have a responsibility to align our transportation decisions with our community’s vision of people having the freedom to safely and conveniently get where they need to go on foot, bike, or transit, while not expanding the highways that divide our community.
That’s why over the past two years we’ve advocated for an integrated transportation plan (ITP) that focuses on providing people with transportation choices, protects wildlife and our families on our roads, and deals with our traffic congestion through investments in public transportation, bicycling, and walking.
On Monday, September 14, the Teton County Board of Commissioners and the Jackson Town Council unanimously passed an ITP that takes constructive steps toward achieving this vision and provides a blueprint for moving our community toward a better transportation future.
The adopted ITP lays a solid foundation for significant improvements in public transportation, walking and bicycling infrastructure, and making it safe for wildlife to cross our roads. It also includes a project development process that will engage the community in helping to ensure transportation capital projects further advance our community’s vision.
Let’s be clear, the ITP is not perfect. It could use additional language clarifying our community’s intent to prioritize investments in public transportation, bicycling, and walking, along with strategic improvements to existing assets, before considering the construction of new auto-centric infrastructure. It could also benefit from stronger policy direction for protecting wildlife.
Here’s the thing, after two years of discussion, it’s time to move forward with investments that align with our community’s vision of a better transportation future, and the ITP puts us on a path to get this done.
As we move forward implementing the ITP, the Alliance is committed to doing everything we can to ensure we prioritize investments in public transportation, bicycling, and walking, along with strategic improvements to existing assets, before we consider the construction of new or widened roads.
