Mid-America transportation agencies share diversity strategies

The member agencies of the Mid-America Association of State Transportation Agencies voted today to establish a standing Diversity and Inclusion Committee. The committee, which will be chaired by Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher, will facilitate information and strategy sharing among member states on issues of diversity and inclusion.

“Transportation has a major impact on communities, economies and peoples’ lives,” Anderson Kelliher said. “It is our responsibility as transportation departments to center diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and proactive community engagement in all the work we do – from development to operation and maintenance of our transportation systems.”

Transportation agencies can have a positive impact on building a more diverse and inclusive society in a number of ways, according to Craig Thompson, MAASTO president and secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.”

“Transportation agencies are major employers, so establishing fairness and inclusion in our workplaces is an important impact we can have,” Thompson said. “Most of all, we strive to provide mobility options for everyone in our communities to make sure that transportation is not a barrier to the well-being of vulnerable people,” Thompson said.

Anderson Kelliher said that the committee will facilitate member agencies learning from one another on diversity issues, just as they do about other shared transportation challenges.

“I am honored to serve as the chair of MAASTO’s new Diversity and Inclusion Committee and look forward to the important work we’ll do together to create equitable and sustainable transportation systems that meet the needs of the people and communities we serve,” Anderson Kelliher said.

MAASTO’s mission is to foster the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated and balanced transportation system that adequately serves the transportation needs of its member states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio. It is affiliated with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officers (AASHTO). To learn more about MAASTO, visit http://www.maasto.net/

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.