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Breaking! Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding Seriously Endangered – Here’s How You Help!

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From the League of American Bicyclists:

Moments ago, Congressman John Mica (R-FL) 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!

WHAT TO DO: Click here, scroll to the bottom and enter your zip code. They’ll guide you through the rest and it only takes a couple minutes.

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Yeahaaa!!!_
Yeahaaa!!!_
12 years ago

Maybe if we stop going to war and approving jerk@ff bailouts and things like ObamaCare we could afford the Good things that are good for people and the earth. Just goes to show that our Goverment isnt looking out for us 🙁

iunderhill
iunderhill
12 years ago

Oh, right, legislation introduced by one sedentary paperpusher representing sprawl-dwelling constituents who wouldn’t notice is indicative of failure on behalf of the United States government. Tee-hee.

iunderhill
iunderhill
12 years ago

“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.”

^^^ in case you missed it

Robin
Robin
12 years ago

Ignoring the trite partisan politics espoused in at least on post and in everyday news, it’d be nice to see support for the bill cross the aisle on the Hill. I’m not holding my breath, though, for any politicians to do the right thing with this bill.

Brian
Brian
12 years ago

Yeahaaaa!!! – moron.

iunderhill, overly verbose. So, T&I is marking up the bill to add an amendment which addresses neither:

– 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.”

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