The core objective of any new funding and finance framework must be supporting enhanced mobility throughout the national surface transportation system and for all system users in a way that also supports economic efficiency. The range of mobility needs throughout the national system requires an intermodal transportation network that ensures easy access, allows personal and business travel as well as goods movement without significant delays, and permits seamless transfers and choices among complementary transportation systems and services. Optimized mobility also enables people to choose their preferred travel method based on their individual needs and lifestyles.
Recognizing that from our current starting point it is simply an unrealistic aspiration to achieve wholly unrestricted mobility, it is of paramount importance to thefunctioning of the U.S. economy and to the quality of life throughout the country to aggressively and immediately improve the mobility provided to citizens and businesses by addressing congestion bottlenecks and providing travel choices throughout the system. The choice of funding approaches can help achieve this objective—through, among other methods, approaches that charge more for travel in peak periods or on particularly congested parts of the system. The ultimate funding and finance package therefore should be developed to help narrow the "mobility gap" that exists today but it should do so in a way that balances the benefits of increased investment in mobility with the costs of the investments.