Supporting Bike/Ped Funding on a National Level

TAKE A MINUTE TO READ ALL OF THIS.  ALL OF THIS.  

(first, this from the League of American Bicyclists' President Andy Clark:

Greetings! 

Congressman John Mica (R-FL) has announced the introduction of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act. The proposed bill eliminates dedicated funding for bicycling and walking as we feared, and it goes much further and systematically removes bicycling from the Federal transportation program. It basically eliminates our status and standing in the planning and design of our transportation system -- a massive step backwards for individuals, communities and our nation. It's a step back to a 1950s highway- and auto-only program that makes no sense in the 21st century.  

The bill reverses 20 years of progress by:  

• destroying Transportation Enhancements by making it optional;
• repealing the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school;
• allowing states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles;
• eliminating bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs; and
• eliminating language that insures that rumble strips "do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled."  

On Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee will mark-up the bill and Representatives Petri (R-WI) and Johnson (R-IL) will sponsor an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Representatives Petri and Johnson can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their representative today.  

Because of these urgent new developments, and the vital importance of a HUGE turnout on Capitol Hill in March, the National Bike Summit early bird registration deadline has been extended to Feb 20. We need every single cyclist in Washington, D.C. that the city can hold (and that's thousands ...). Register today!

Stay in touch by visiting bikeleague.org and americabikes.org for background and breaking news.   

Sincerely,


Andy Clarke
President, LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS

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THE LOCAL ANGLE....

AND AN INSTRUCTIVE EXCHANGE, THANKS TO DR. MARK GREENSLIT IN SUMMERVILLE.

(In response to the bad news about the transportation funding bill, many in our region wrote to Rep. Tim Scott asking him to reconsider, and support bike and pedestrian funding in the transportation funding bill currently under consideration.

Our colleague Mark Greenslit in Summerville took a very constructive approach in this dialogue.

But first, here is a paragraph taken directly from Rep. Scott’s response to the many e-mails he received imploring him to support the bike/ped infrastructure spending.)

“There is no question that bicycle and walking paths enhance the likeability and safety of a community. As we prioritize our spending needs, we must first fund maintenance objectives of vehicular routes. Over the next few cycles, we will remain committed to looking for ways to meet the needs of our crumbling infrastructure systems. The day will certainly come again that we can afford the rising cost of bicycle and walking infrastructure projects.”

Here is Dr. Greenslit’s response:

Rep. Scott,

Thank you for your reply. As a fiscaI conservative, I understand your concerns. However, investment in cycling and walking infrastructure is good for the nation's bottom line.

As health care costs continue to increase, in large part, due to obesity related disease, our country needs to make every effort to make provisions  our citizens to safely walk or ride a bike for transportation and receation. It doesn't take many  avoided hospital stays from Medicare patients to pay for a bicycle and walking trail.

More people cycling and walking means less traffic congestion, less wear and tear on roads,  and increased worker productivity, due to fewer sick days. Fewer people will be on disability, and will continue to pay taxes, rather than be a drain on the system.

  More people on bikes also means less dependence  on foreign oil.

For those  who can't or don't drive, a bicycle provides needed transportation, and can be the difference between staying employed and getting unemployment checks from the government.

I urge you to reconsider your position, and support the construction of infrastructure for bicycling and walking. It is in our nation's best financial interest.

Thank you.

Mark Greenslit, MD

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NOTE: Mark's reasoning is nothing but sound. Rep. Scott, like so many others falls into the void of ignorance about the role of bicycling and walking, seeing them as trivial, recreational considerations instead of their proper place in transportation thinking: important in many ways.

We all do well to read and remember Dr. Greenslit's strong reasoning here.  Take the time to write Rep. Scott and other members of YOUR congressional delegation.