Heading into the November 4 election, both presidential candidates have proclaimed the need to seek energy independence, and the American public has echoed their call. This daunting goal is a necessary step toward maintaining national security and fighting global warming. Our collective pursuit of new or improved low-carbon technologies, of a reengineered transportation infrastructure, and of ways to lower our daily energy use will challenge us for decades to come.

To help members better understand where the candidates stand on transportation issues, AAA posed five questions to John McCain and Barack Obama; for their answers, go to viamagazine.com and type either "Obama" or "McCain" into the search field.

On Election Day, Californians will have a chance to directly shape the future of their transportation system. They will vote on two controversial initiatives, Propositions 1A and 10, that could dramatically change how people get around the state.

Proposition 1A asks voters to approve $9.95 billion in bonds to help pay for an 800-mile high-speed railway that will have a final price tag of at least $40 billion, easily the most expensive public works project in California history. The first phase of the project, scheduled for completion in 2030, would allow passengers to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles in just two hours and 40 minutes. Future extensions would connect Sacramento, San Diego, and Riverside counties to the main line.

Proposition 10 would authorize $5 billion in bonds. More than half that money would go to provide cash payments of $2,000 to $50,000 to people who buy certain alternative fuel and high fuel economy vehicles. Almost all of those rebates would go to consumers buying vehicles that use compressed natural gas rather than other alternative fuels. (For helpful background on energy-saving cars and alternative fuels and answers to your questions about them, check out AAA.com/greenlight.)

Visit AAA.com/capropositions to gather information related to California's transportation initiatives. Do your homework and then, please, get out and vote.