U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) is urging her constituents to take advantage of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative.
The ROUTES Initiative aims to address disparities in rural transportation infrastructure by assisting rural stakeholders in understanding how to access federal grants and financing products. It also aims to prioritize economic competitiveness and safety.
“It’s good to see the DOT focusing on infrastructure needs in rural America,” Fischer said. “I encourage Nebraska’s communities to review these transportation resources at transportation.gov/rural, or reach out to the department at rural@dot.gov for more information on federal opportunities for rural areas.”
One-fifth of Americans live in rural areas, yet 46 percent of highway fatalities occur in these areas. This makes the fatality rate twice that of urban areas, and 44 percent of miles traveled on rural roadways are urban residents outside their home metro areas.
Rural areas account for 39 percent of all highway-rail crossing fatalities, and two-thirds of rail freight originates outside urban areas.
Heavy trucks cannot cross bridges with posted weight limits, and 90 percent of these bridges are in rural areas.
Fischer is chairwoman of the Transportation and Safety Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Commerce Committee.