SUPPORT FOR MAGLEV WITH THE REAUTHORIZATION OF TEA-21

WHEREAS, the mayors of the United States have forged effective working partnerships with states and metropolitan planning organizations to implement the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21^st Century (TEA-21); and

WHEREAS, mayors endorse the multimodal transportation approach embodied in ISTEA and TEA-21 to help solve urban congestion and air quality problems; and

WHEREAS, mayors strongly support the continued deployment of rapid transit programs including the use of high speed rail and other technologies such as magnetic levitation (maglev) to complement central city and suburban highway systems to improve the movement of residents within metropolitan areas; and

WHEREAS, Congress provided contract authority in TEA-21 for planning maglev systems and continues to provide funding through appropriations for continued planning and environmental studies for projects; and

WHEREAS, the Cities of Southern California Area Governments, Atlanta, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New Orleans and Las Vegas endorse and are currently developing plans to build maglev systems,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The U.S. Conference of Mayors supports the authorization of a maglev program including contract authority in TEA-3 for innovative financing and grants for design, environmental studies, engineering and construction of maglev systems; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls for Congress to authorize a maglev program and the Administration to contract enough authority in the TEA-3 legislation to allow deployment of maglev systems in major metropolitan areas.