Federal transportation bill - action alert

Dear bicyclist,

Would you make a quick call to your Congressman, to help ensure a bike-friendly federal transportation bill?

This month, I joined other Illinoisans on Capitol Hill, asking Congress for specific provisions (see below) in the House's "TEA-LU" multi-year transportation bill. This bill is currently being debated, and there is a real threat that bike funding and policies will be disproportionately cut. Contact from constituents will really strenghten the message that we delivered.

If you call (or leave a voicemail), your message may be as simple as asking his/her support on the bicycle-friendly provisions of the federal transportation bill. Perhaps you could mention a specific point or local project - especially if you are able to send a fax (mailed letters take too long, because of security). A partial list of funded bikeways, etc. is at www.bikelib.org/tbills/bikeways_funded_istea_98.htm.

Find your US Representative's contact information at www.elections.state.il.us/DLS/Pages/DLSAddressCrit.asp.

This bill is important for cyclists, not only for the projects it will fund, but also for the "trickle-down" effect it has on local government efforts for biking. Thanks in advance for your help!!

- Ed

Ed Barsotti, Executive Director League of Illinois Bicyclists
2550 Cheshire Dr.
Aurora, IL 60504
630-978-0583
ed@bikelib.org
www.bikelib.org
Help LIB improve Illinois bicycling: www.bikelib.org/join

Specific provisions (more information at www.americabikes.org ):

• Insure full funding for core programs (Enhancements, CMAQ, Rec Trails). These fund most new bike projects, costing less than 1% of all federal transportation spending. Bike projects are very popular for the price, as evidenced by the uproar from diverse groups when Enhancements spending was targeted last year.
• Provide bike/pedestrian safety funding at a rate consistent with their traffic fatality rate. Less than 2% of the federal transportation safety category is used to improve safety for cyclists and walkers; 13% of fatalities are bike/ped. A Senate amendment seeks to equalize these rates.
• Fund Safe Routes to School at the House's $250M per year nationally, not the Senate's $70M. A national poll found 74% of Americans favor using transportation dollars for safe routes for kids to bike or walk to school, even if it means less funding for new highways. The program is modeled on highly popular infrastructure and education grant programs in California, Texas, and elsewhere.
• Insure that "Complete Streets" are built with federal dollars. For the past 12 years, legislation wording on accommodating bikes and pedestrians in major road projects has been too weak. The result? Too many roads becoming barriers cutting communities for anyone on foot or bike. Building it right in the first place, during the project, is much cheaper than retrofitting later.

As Congress ponders the tough decisions on the bill's price tag, cyclists must speak up or risk being an easy target for disproportionate cuts. Help reinforce our message delivered in early March by repeating these points with your federal legislators!