Let's Convince Congressmen Meehan and LoBiondo to be Bike/Ped Heroes

The House Transportation Bill Straps Dynamite To Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs

The House Transportation Bill was made public today and it's worse than predicted. Here is how the bill takes the heart out of federal biking and walking policies:

• 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”

The operating philosophy of this House transportation bill

Great Balls of Fire! Welcome to the 1950's.

Congressman Tom Petri (R-WI) is going to introduce an amendment in Committee on Thursday, February 2nd that will restore the Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School programs. We really want the Petri amendment to pass. If it does, it sends a strong signal to the House (and Senate) Leadership that biking and walking should not be decimated.

You can see a list of TE and SRTS projects in LoBiondo and Meehan's districts here

Here's how you can help.
Congressman Pat Meehan (PA-7) and Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) sit on the Committee and will vote on the bill on Thursday. They are key Congressmen for this vote. They need to hear from their constituents who want to preserve biking and walking funding that they should vote YES on the Petri Amendment.

If you live in either PA-7 or NJ-2, please call your Congressmen and let them know that you want them to vote YES on the PETRI amendment.

• Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2) 609-625-5008
• Pat Meehan (PA-7) 610-690-7323

An Improved Manayunk Canal Tow Path - Public Meeting Tonight

Several capital projects are improving the Manayunk Canal Tow Path.

Thanks to the hard work of the Phila. Parks and Rec. Department and Philadelphia Water Department, the Manayunk Tow Path has been greatly improved. Check out the 360 view in the photo above.

The Schuylkill Project is organizing a public meeting to get the community up to date on the status of projects including Lower Venic Island Tank/Park/Performance Center, the Manayunk Tow Path and restoration planting in Shawmont.

Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Time: 7pm

Place: Manayunk Brew Pub

Wednesday's Ben Franklin Bridge Ramp Discussion Moved To 9:30 AM

Note the New Time! The Ben Franklin Bridge ramp action item has been moved to the 9:30 AM Finance Committee meeting (from the 8:00 AM Operations and Management Committee meeting).*

It's still happening on Wednesday, still at One Port Center in Camden, NJ. Please join us at the meeting for a visible demonstration of the public support for this bicycle and disabled-pedestrian-friendly ramp. But now you can set your alarms later.

DRPA Finance Committee Meeting
Wednesday February 1st 
9:30 AM 
One Port Center, 11th Floor
2 Riverside Drive
Camden, NJ


View One Port Center in a larger map
*At the January 11th, 2012 DRPA meeting, the Finance Committee referred the bridge question to the Operations and Management Committee meeting.

In Which We Help Three High School Seniors Teach Their School About Bicycle Safety

Our educational efforts, particularly our Safe Routes Philly program, strive for sustainability. The joy of riding a bicycle, and the improved quality of life that mass bicycle riding brings to a community, are messages being adopted by an increasing number of Philadelphia individuals, agencies, and organizations. Proof of this fell onto our desks recently in the form of three high school seniors looking to serve their community.

Several weeks ago, we were contacted by three seniors at GAMP (Girard Academic Music Program), a magnet school in South Philly. For their senior service project, they wanted to teach bicycle safety to their school's youngest students (5th grade). Needless to say, we were all about that.

Why Congressman Pat Meehan needs to hear from you

All eyes are on Congressman Pat Meehan (PA-7). He sits on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, which will be voting on the new House Transportation bill next Thursday. The bill
strips out funding for biking and walking programs, but, thankfully an amendment will be introduced to restore the funding.

Will Congressman Meehan support the amendment? Only if he hears from his constituents that they want him to. If you live in PA-7 (not sure? Check here) please call Congressman Meehan and ask him to vote in favor of the amendment that restores funding to Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes To School.

His District phone number is 610-690-7323 .

TE & Safe Routes to School funds brought $10.3 to pay for the following projects in Congressman Meehan's district (PA-7.)

East Goshen Township Pathway Project

Phoenixville Streetscape Project

Phoenixville Streetscape Project

Landsdowne Borough Gateway Park & Pedestrian Bike Trail

Lower Chichester Sidewalks and Trail

Lower Chichester Controlling Outdoor Advertising

Marcus Hook Streetscape

Media Downtown Streetscape

Radnor Station Renovations

Sharon Hill Train Station Rehab.

Swarthmore Intermodal Trans Improvements warthmore Delaware

Brandywine Historic Landmark Delaware

Schuylkill Lock Restoration

Upper Darby Township Sidewalks

Nether Providence Township Township Sidewalks

Swarthmore Borough Pedestrian Access Upgrade

Do you tweet? Send Congressman Meehan a tweet that you want him to support funding for biking and walking For example: Do it! I called @RepMeehan 610-690-7323 to ask that he vote 2 restore funding for biking and walking in federal transpo bill #bikePHL

Put Biking and Walking Funding Back Into the House Transportation Bill

Congress is finally moving on a federal transportation bill.

The House will release its bill tomorrow (January 27) and vote on it next Thursday (February 2).

The bill does NOT include dedicated funding for biking and walking. It will provide ZERO funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School.

We must get those programs restored to the bill.

Please write and your Congressional representative today. It's especially urgent that those of you who live in districts represented by Congressmen Meehan, Shuster, Barletta and LoBiondo to call them at their District offices to reinforce the message!

Restore biking and walking funding in the House Transportation Bill.
Send an email and make a phone call today!