Commuters who use the Metrorail in Washington D.C. are likely to notice the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s most recent advertisements, which support surface transportation bill H.R. 3550.
The advertisements are giant, three-panel billboards that line the exits from Capitol South and Union Station Metro stops, where approximately 80,000 passengers pass each day. The ads say the bill would “cost the average motorist 9 cents more a day,” and would “save lives, create jobs, clean the air and tackle traffic jams.”
H.R. 3550 is a $375 billion surface transportation bill that was introduced in November by the bipartisan leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. If approved, it would provide much-needed funds to build new roads and refurbish areas needing repair.
In addition to the billboard campaign, ARTBA also sponsored two ads in the National Journal‘s 2004 “Calendar of American Politics” and will begin radio ads for H.R. 3550 on Washington D.C. news talk stations during the end of January. The organization is also conducting national opinion research to determine public attitudes on highway investment.
