proposing that the upcoming Transportation Bill, which is currently being drafted by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, promotes and funds alternate transportation options.  He is asking his colleagues in the House of Representatives to increase federal funding for bicycling and pedestrian programs.    Everyone reading this is either a cyclist, is related to a cyclist, or is friends with a cyclist, or else you wouldn’t be reading our blog , so take a couple of minutes to let you representative know that you support making things safer for us.

The League of American Bicyclists has set up a place on their site where you can very easily send a letter.  It will even find your Representative for you so you don’t have to know who it is.  You can get to it here.

Below is a copy of the letter being circulated:

May 14, 2009
Dear Colleague:

I invite you to join me in sending a letter to Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman
Jim Oberstar, Ranking Member John Mica, Highway and Transit Subcommittee
Chairman Pete DeFazio and Ranking Member Jimmy Duncan urging increased support
for bicycling in the upcoming surface transportation authorization bill.

There is growing national interest in bicycling, and there is a wide array of public
benefits that are derived from non-motorized transportation. Increased bicycling
opportunities can reduce congestion, improve mobility, enhance quality of life and
livable communities, and promote recreational and healthy activities. While federal
support and program integration for bicycling has improved greatly since 1991 -
increasing above one-percent of funding in recent years – the new authorization of the
surface transportation program provides an opportunity to build upon this progress.

The letter I am sending makes four specific policy requests. First, the letter urges
inclusion of a Complete Streets policy in the reauthorization. This would ensure that the
planning and development of new transportation infrastructure projects with federal funds
includes and integrates safe, measurable and enabling opportunities for non-motorized
transit options. Second, the letter requests better physical integration of roads, sidewalks,
bike paths and transit systems in order to create seamless networks that are safe,
accessible and effectively link communities together for all transportation users. This
would enable more trips – for pleasure, to work or school, for shopping, etc. – to be safely
made by bicycle. Third, there is a need to better distribute highway safety funds in
proportion to fatalities. Bicyclists and pedestrians comprise 13 percent of roadway
fatalities, but less than one percent of highway safety funds are allocated are targeted to
these modes of transportation. Shifting funds to programs that support bicycling safety,
education and infrastructure improvements can reduce non-motorized roadway accidents,
and will make these forms of transportation safer and more viable. Finally, it requests
increased funding for the Safe Routes to School program, as well as some program
improvements, that will enable safer and expanded bicycling opportunities for student
travel between home and school.

I appreciate your consideration of joining me in promoting bicycling in the surface
transportation reauthorization bill. In order to sign on to this letter, or if you have any
questions, please contact Eric Lausten of my office at 5-5701, or via email at
eric.lausten@mail.house.gov.

Sincerely,
DANIEL W. LIPINSKI

Member of Congress

Please Contact Senator Burr (R-NC) Today Regarding Co-Sponsoring the Safe Routes to School

Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina is considering becoming a lead co-sponsor on legislation to reauthorize the federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program.  The bill would expand funding for SRTS to $600 million per year, include high schools, simplify regulatory compliance to improve project delivery, and strengthen research and evaluation.  All of these changes will make SRTS grants more widely available, and help more North Carolina schools and communities make it safer for children to walk and bicycle to school and get into healthier, greener habits.

But, to get Senator Burr on board as a champion for SRTS, we need your help. The Senator needs to hear from his constituents in North Carolina that they value SRTS and would like to see the program grow as part of the next transportation bill.

As a North Carolina resident that cares about Safe Routes to School, we hope you will take just a few moments to follow the steps below and express your support for SRTS.  Time is of the essence – please take this action TODAY-or at the latest, this week.

After you have taken action please send a quick email to Margo Pedroso, Policy Manager, Safe Routes to School National Partnership at margo@saferoutespartnership.org to let us know that you submitted a comment to the Senator.  Include your name and contact information so that we can collect the list of supporters and share them with the Senator’s staff.

Thank you so much for your assistance – with your help hopefully Senator Burr will become a champion for Safe Routes to School!