Old Man Mica is hurling rocks.
The Transportation Bill released by The House of Representatives indeed does cut out all funding for cycling projects.
Per the League of American Bicyclists:
Last week, we knew the bill would be bad news for biking and walking. But we didn't think it would go so far as to completely cut every reference to bicycling and walking out of the federal transportation policy. House leadership is pressing to eliminate bicycling and walking in the Transportation bill:
- Destroys Transportation Enhancements by making the program optional
- Repeals the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school
- Allows states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles
- Eliminates bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs
- Eliminates language that insures that rumble strips "do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled"
But we can still save biking and walking in this bill. This week in the Transportation Committee, Representatives Petri (R-WI) and Johnson (R-IL) will stand up for bicycling and walking by offering an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Mr. Petri and Mr. Johnson can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their Representative on the Transportation Committee again today to urge them to vote YES on the Petri/Johnson amendment! If your Representative is not on the committee, please ask them to urge their colleagues to vote for the amendment.
Put Bike and Pedestrian Projects Back
Into the Transportation Bill
Click here, or on the image on the right to send a message to your representative in Congress in support of the Petri/Johnson Amendment to the Transportation Bill.
The League of American Bicyclists are tactful people, and had nothing to do with my stupid photo of John Mica holding rocks.