June 9, 2009

Advocacy Alert - The League needs us to speak up

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikeadvocacy/

The text below is copied directly from the League's webpage: take a look:

(begin League of American Bicyclists content:)
Proposal to End Federal Funding for Bike Projects
(6.05.09) A proposal by House Republican leaders to slash critical federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects was branded as “short-sighted and out of touch with reality” in a short statement issued by the President of the League of American Bicyclists, Andy Clarke. “House Republican leaders have chosen once again to scapegoat bicycling and walking programs, proposing to end the popular and successful Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to Schools programs and to terminate four non-motorized pilot projects mid-stream. These programs are hugely popular with communities across the country and address numerous challenges facing our nation – such as climate change, obesity and oil dependence. We know that State Departments of Transportation have reluctantly implemented these programs over the years despite overwhelming public support, and will not support them independently. To suggest ending these programs is short-sighted and out of touch with reality.”

In addition, the League notes that:

the Transportation Enhancement and Safe Routes to Schools programs are routinely oversubscribed by a factor of three or more whenever States request applications for funding under these programs.
More than 40 percent of all trips in the United States are two miles or less and that almost three-quarters of all car trips are two miles or less, suggesting that most travel is local, regardless of mode.
A 3 percent reduction in vehicle miles traveled in 2008 resulted in a 30 percent reduction in congestion in metropolitan areas around the country, suggesting that demand management strategies such as increasing bicycling and walking are extremely effective in addressing congestion and other traffic-related issues
and subsidies given through tax breaks to drivers to pay for parking at work cost the taxpayer almost as much per year ($4 billion) as Boehner’s and Cantor’s proposal to slash support for bicycling and walking would save in five years.
“We will be asking the White House to reject these proposed cuts out of hand,” continued Clarke. “At a time when we are struggling across several fronts to tackle pressing national concerns related to oil dependence, obesity and the costs of physical inactivity, climate change, air quality and economic competitiveness, it seems inconceivable that we would gut some of the few modest programs that encourage and enable people to walk and bicycle for everyday trips.”
(end League of American Bicyclists content:)


WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY, and help make sure this doesn't happen!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

And stop voting Republican while you're at it. Duh.