The recent passage of a 27-month federal surface transportation bill, "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century" (MAP-21), will bring dramatic changes to how communities around the country will fund their trail, walking and bicycling projects.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) will hold two free webinars to help advocates, planners, implementers and others navigate the changes made in MAP-21 to the core trails, walking and bicycling programs of the last transportation law: Transportation Enhancements (TE), Safe Routes to School and the Recreational Trails Program. These webinars will feature experts from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), local and/or state transportation agencies and RTC. Webinar 1: Tuesday, July 17, 1 p.m. EDT: A MAP-21 Survival Guide for Trail, Walking and Bicycling Advocates > REGISTER HERE This webinar is geared specifically for national, state and local advocates and supporters of trail, walking and bicycling infrastructure as well as other beneficiaries of TE such as historic preservation and environmental interests. The webinar will address questions such as:
Webinar 2: (Sometime the week of July 30, TBD): Implementing the Transportation Alternatives Provisions of MAP-21 This webinar will address specific issues faced by local and state agencies that are responsible for implementing the new Transportation Alternatives section of MAP-21. Panelists for this session are still being finalized, but will include Tracy Hadden Loh, research manager for RTC and director of the National Transportation Enhancement Clearinghouse and some combination of representatives from federal, state and local (metropolitan planning organization) agencies. REGISTER HERE
The America Bikes coalition — representing the nation’s leading bicycling and walking groups — and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership oppose the new transportation bill, which would nationally cut funding for biking and walking projects by 60 to 70 percent.
We are deeply concerned that bicycling and walking programs suffer large and disproportionate cuts in funding in the new bill. Programs that save lives and dollars are eliminated. The full extent of cuts to biking and walking funding will be determined at the state level and may be even deeper. We will continue to work in states and local communities to support safe, accessible streets. The new transportation bill is a bad bill for biking and walking. This bill:
This two-year bill represents a major step backwards in transportation policy for transportation choices and healthy physical activity. Despite this temporary setback in national policy, bicycling and walking will continue to grow and gain support, and Americans will continue to demand safer, more accessible streets and communities. Going forward, biking and walking will return to a central place in America’s transportation policies and programs. |
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