You Count on Streetsblog. We’re Counting on You, Too.

Things are about to get crazy in the transportation arena here in D.C.

Some would say things are already pretty crazy. But just wait: We’ve got a monumental fight over the debt ceiling coming up and with it, a Republican push for massive budget cuts that will make the last round look like a mere trim. Then – boom – transportation bill proposals. The House and Senate can’t keep us waiting forever. June is going to be one busy month for transportation.

Streetsblog has been there each step of the way and will continue to bring you up-to-the-minute news of the developments on Capitol Hill, emerging trends, stories from the states, and more. I can’t tell you how often I meet transportation professionals, Hill staffers, urban planners, academics, agency officials and other reporters who tell me they read Streetsblog Capitol Hill every day.

Our reporting keeps people around the country connected to developments and personalities in Washington, so that they can influence national policy and be prepared for the ways national policy will affect them. It keeps us going to know that Streetsblog is the publication of record for people who follow the Capitol Hill transportation beat.

But we can’t do it without your help. We’re proud that our reporting is free and available to everyone, not kept behind a high-priced paywall like so many others. Will you help us keep it that way?

Before the end of June, we hope to raise $10,000 to give Streetsblog Capitol Hill an extra jolt of reporting power. The next four months are going to be a busy time, leading up to the September 30 expiration of the current transportation extension – and whatever Congress does to keep the lights on after that. Looking ahead a little further, reader support is critical to the long-term future of Streetsblog's national coverage. If you depend on Streetsblog to keep you informed, bringing you not just the news of the day but the context, analysis and commentary to go with it, please donate whatever amount that coverage is worth to you.

Just a few ways in which we’re keeping people informed and making a difference:

• We held the road lobby accountable for their attempts to rein in the USDOT’s visionary inclusion of bicycles and pedestrians on an equal footing with the automobile -- and got results.
• We've kept the spotlight on the major decision-makers in Congress, like Barbara Boxer, John Mica, Max Baucus, James Inhofe and Nick Rahall -- as well as in the administration -- tracking the changes in their rhetoric and pushing them to stay strong on reform.
• Streetsblog was the first news outlet to report on the stirrings for a two-year reauthorization as the possibilities for a six-year bill collapsed.
• We countered reports that suggest that transit and smart growth aren’t sound strategies for addressing climate change.
• We're tracking local efforts in Charleston, Houston, Cleveland, and other regions to replace antiquated highway-oriented development with livable communities and sustainable transportation.

We won’t go on – you know what we’ve done because you’ve read all these stories. Thanks for all you do to build sustainable cities. Please help us build a sustainable Streetsblog, too.

All the best,
Tanya