Three Times A Charm: Road K(B)ill Brought Back to Life

In a remarkable reversal, the House Assembly passed the same transportation funding bill they had voted down just 24 hours earlier. Representative Micozzie's version of the bill passed last night 104-95 providing an additional $2.3 billion annually for transportation.

You can read all about the drama at Philly.com, Morning Call , CBS3, AP and AP and Politics PA.

The bill goes to the Senate today, another House vote tomorrow and, barring any further setbacks, could be signed by the Governor by the end of the week.

We thank our area legislators who voted Yes on this bill. It was a tough vote and we are grateful to those who chose to support a comprehensive transportation funding bill for Pennsylvania's future. This bill provides $490 million that SEPTA desperately needs, recognizes biking and walking as a mode of transportation and creates a multi-modal fund with dedicated funding for biking and walking.

Given how many run-ups there were to potential votes over the last six months, we probably sent out more calls to action on this issue than any other in our history. Thanks to all of you who responded to the many action alerts in your inbox! Bicyclists were among the most vocal supporters of this bill. That helped get the bill passed -- and earned the gratitude of the people who will now be deciding how best to spend our new transportation dollars. Thank you!

To look up who your House Rep is, click here.

Full roll call of the 11/19 vote is here.

Democrats	County	11/19 vote	Republicans	County	11/19 Vote
Bishop, Louise Williams	Philadelphia	No vote	Adolph, William	Delaware	Yes
Boyle, Brendan	Montgomery	Yes	Barrar, Stephen	Delaware	No
Boyle, Kevin	Philadelphia	Yes	Clymer, Paul	Bucks	Yes
Bradford, Matthew	Montgomery	No	Corbin, Becky	Chester	Yes
Briggs, Tim	Montgomery	Yes	DiGirolamo, Gene	Bucks	No
Brown, Vanessa	Philadelphia	Yes	Farry, Frank	Bucks	Yes
Brownlee, Michelle	Philadelphia	Yes	Godshall, Robert	Montgomery	Yes
Clay, James W.	Philadelphia	Yes	Hackett, Joseph	Delaware	Yes
Cohen, Mark	Philadelphia	Yes	Harper, Kate	Montgomery	Yes
Cruz, Angel	Philadelphia	Yes	Hennessey, Tim	Chester	Yes
Daley, Mary Jo	Montgomery	No	Kampf, Warren	Chester	No
Davidson, Margo	Delaware	Yes	Killion, Thomas	Delaware	Yes
Davis, Tina	Bucks	No	Lawrence, John	Chester	No
Dean, Madeline	Montgomery	No	Miccarelli, Nick	Delaware	Yes
DeLissio, Pam	Philadelphia	Yes	Micozzie, Nicholas	Delaware	Yes
Donnatucci, Maria	Delaware	Yes	Milne, Duane	Chester	Yes
Evans, Dwight	Philadelphia	Yes	Murt, Thomas	Montgomery	Yes
Galloway, John	Bucks	Yes	O'Neill, Bernie	Bucks	Yes
Harris, Jordan	Philadelphia	Yes	Petri, Scott	Bucks	No vote
Keller, William	Philadelphia	Yes	Quinn, Marguerite	Bucks	Yes
Kinsey, Stephen	Philadelphia	Yes	Ross, Chris	Chester	Yes
Kirkland, Thaddeus	Delaware	Yes	Stephens, Todd	Montgomery	Yes
McCarter, Steve	Phila/Montco	No	Toepel, Marcy	Montgomery	Yes
McGeehan, Michael P.	Philadelphia	Yes	Truitt, Dan	Chester	No
Miranda, J.P.	Philadelphia	Yes	Vereb, Michael	Montgomery	Yes
Neilson, Ed	Philadelphia	Yes	Watson, Katharine	Bucks	Yes
O'Brien, Michael	Philadelphia	Yes
Painter, Mark	Montgomery	No
Parker, Cherelle	Philadelphia	Yes
Roebuck, James	Philadelphia	Yes
Sabatina, Jr., John	Philadelphia	No
Santarsiero, Steve	Bucks	No
Sims, Brian	Philadelphia	Yes
Thomas, Curtis	Philadelphia	Yes
Vitali, Greg	Delaware	Yes
Waters, Ronald	Delaware	Yes
Youngblood, Rosita	Philadelphia	Yes

Active Transportation is Gaining Traction in Harrisburg Funding Debate

For the past several months, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and PA Walks and Bikes have been participating in the Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition's effort to gain support and momentum for a new state transportation funding bill.

Our asks have been straightforward:

1. Pass a comprehensive transportation funding bill this year.
2. Create a bicycle/pedestrian program or office within PennDOT.
3. Make active transportation central to the proposed "multi-modal" fund and ensure that biking and walking projects can be funded.
4. Eliminate the #1 policy hurdle (the Bicycle Occupancy Permit) that prevents the installation of bike lanes on state roads outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. 

In partnership with Mission Readiness, the American Heart Association, Urban Engineers and many others, we have been visiting state senators and representatives from Southeast PA (at least eleven), developing position papers, getting letters to the editors placed in various media outlets (Inquirer, Daily News, Pottstown Mercury News, Bucks County Courier Times, Doylestown Intelligencer, and Delco Times), and created an action alert that has generated 250 letters to 76 elected state representatives and the Governor.

In late March, a sign-on letter (see below) we helped Mission Readiness with was delivered to the Assembly urging them to make biking and walking part of the proposed multi-modal fund and to establish a PennDOT office or full-time position to address bicycle/pedestrian issues.

All of this advocacy is beginning to pay off.