Charleston, W.Va. – West Virginians for Better Transportation (WVBT) announced today that the list of partners supporting its mission has reached beyond 200. In a little more than six months, West Virginians for Better Transportation has grown to encompass a coalition that includes more than 100 organizations and 100 companies, as well as cities and counties across the Mountain State.
“Building a coordinated, statewide coalition of interested groups and individuals has been central to the organization’s efforts to educate key audiences about the state’s transportation system and its future challenges,” said Joe Deneault, chairman of West Virginians for Better Transportation. “The fact that we have created such a large and broad coalition in such a short period of time is indicative of the strong interest and unified concerns that West Virginians from all walks of life have regarding our state’s transportation system.”
The WVBT coalition includes groups representing business, health care, labor, government, tourism and economic development, as well as the West Virginia Municipal League and the West Virginia Association of Counties.
Although a cause for celebration, WVBT leaders are vowing not to let the milestone slow the organization’s activities. “More than anything, reaching this goal validates our mission,” Deneault stated. “Our partner groups and their individual members are concerned about the state’s transportation infrastructure, and we will spread the message to even more people that there is a crisis, and it’s getting worse.”
In addition to the 200 organizations and their members, WVBT has more than 500 individual partners. The organization’s goal is to see these numbers increase even more as it continues and expands its educational activities.
WVBT has been formed to spearhead a statewide education campaign (called “Keep West Virginia Moving”) that is designed to generate public awareness of the state’s transportation system and foster debate about the ability to meet current and future needs. The goal is to provide West Virginians with a clear view of the value of investment in transportation and the importance of continuing to maintain a safe road, bridge and highway system.
“The more partners we have, the louder our message becomes,” Deneault added. “And the wider our message is heard, the more likely action will be taken.”
When asked about the transportation bills passed during the recently ended legislative session, Deneault said they were positive steps, but further action must taken to develop a long-term solution.
“The recent actions taken by the Legislature certainly help right now, but our state still faces major questions about what level of investment should be provided to respond to the $20 billion in proposed transportation projects,” Deneault noted. “All state residents will need to decide what the long-term solution should be and from where the funding will come.”