New Jersey Opens Up Round Of Transportation Enhancements

While the doomday clock on Transportation Enhancements (TE) is ticking, New Jersey has announced one more round of TE that can fund bicycle and pedestrian projects including Circuit trails.

Funds are available for design, right of way acquisition, and construction. Selection of TE projects involves the participation of civic and environmental groups, the transportation community, and other government organizations such as the state’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The solicitation letter from Commissioner James Simpson invites those with construction-ready projects.

The application deadline is July 17th. For more information, go to the New Jersey DOT Transportation Enhancements web page.

Bike/Ped Amendment Loses by a Hair (A Thank You To Those Who Pulled And Voted For It)

In this morning's markup of the Transportation bill, the amendment to restore the Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements program proposed by Reps Petri (R-WI), Johnson (R-Ill) and Lipinski (D-Ill) lost by two votes (27-29) after a heated debate and trashing by Chairman John Mica.

Two Republican Congressmen who sit on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee surprised us by their votes. Congressman LoBiondo (NJ-02) voted in favor, something we were not expecting, and Congressman Meehan (PA-07) voted against. Mr. LoBiondo was the only Republican to vote in favor of the amendment who wasn't a co-sponsor.

We pulled out all the stops by encouraging constituents, small businesses, and local officials to call and write to Congressmen Meehan and LoBiondo. We're gratified that Mr. LoBiondo listened to his constituents, but supremely disappointed that Mr. Meehan did not.

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!

Rand Paul's Attack On Bike/Ped Funding Defeated In Senate

They attacked again, and again safety and forward thinking prevailed.

Senator Rand Paul (R-Cars)'s plan to scrap the Transportation Enhancements program was defeated Tuesday by a 60-38 vote. Thank you to everyone who contacted your senators and urged them to vote against this backward-thinking, regressive bill.

Unfortunately, this will likely not be the last time members of Congress attack federal funding for bicycling and pedestrian improvements. We will keep you informed so you can help us drag members of Congress, kicking and screaming, into a future where pedestrians and bicyclists are safer.

The Boston Globe has an article about the vote, and some of the misinformation which was fueling arguments for ending the Transportation Enhancements program.

The League of American Bicyclists posted a recap and includes who voted how

[Update: 4:15 pm: A previous version of this post stated that Pennsylvania's two senators voted along party lines. Sen. Casey voted against the measure, and Sen. Toomey voted for it. Party lines, however, is an inaccurate method of recapping the vote. While no Democrats or Independents voted in favor of the bill, seven Republicans and one Independent voted against it. ~NM]

Senator Rand Paul's Plan To Repair Bridges: Kill Transportation Enhancements

No water...no transportation enhancements program...

In the latest attack on Transportation Enhancements, Senator Rand Paul has proposed eliminating the $700 million dollar Transportation Enhancements Fund and spending that money on bridge repair. One current estimate on the cost of repairing the nation's bridges is $70 billion dollars. This plan is like taking away the dog's water bowl because the house is on fire.

We agree that our nation's bridges should be kept safe, but the lives of pedestrians and cyclists are important too. Thirteen people died when the Minneapolis bridge collapsed in 2007. Since then, close to 20,000 pedestrians and 2,800 cyclists have died on our nation’s highways, largely as a result of poor highway design and a lack of safe, non-motorized infrastructure – exactly what the Transportation Enhancements program was created to fix.

Another reason why this is not a good reallocation of transportation resources: last year, states returned $530 million in unused bridge funds. States are not spending the money already allocated to bridge repair. Let them spend that money first before cannibalizing other transportation safety programs.

Please contact your Senators today to ask them to vote against the Paul amendment (SA-821) to eliminate Transportation Enhancements. And then please forward this message to at least five others who care about the safety of people walking and bicycling on our streets.

Urgent! If You Bike and Vote-Contact Your Senator Today

This year, less than 2% of Federal transportation funds ($700 million) will be spent on bicycling and walking. In 2012, that figure might be a big fat zero. In the next few days, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) will ask Congress to eliminate a vital bike/ped funding source. Please contact your Senators TODAY and let them know you support continued funding for biking and walking.

Of the federal transportation funding delivered to our five-county PA region, 1.4% comes through the Transportation Enhancement Program. The four nearby New Jersey counties receive 0.52% of their federal transportation dollars through the Transportation Enhancement Program. These percentages seem small, but they have been the primary funding source for bike lanes, trails, bike racks on buses, bike education, etc. Sen. Coburn wants to eliminate the Transportation Enhancement Program entirely from the bill that will extend the current transportation bill for four months. If he wins this week, Transportation Enhancements would be in serious trouble when Congress takes up a new Transportation Bill later this year.

This is lamentable, short-sighted policy. It isn't safe or smart. It isn't good for the economy or the environment. It is bad healthy policy and bad transportation policy. But it may happen because many Congressmen don't think bicycling matters.

This isn't even a deficit-cutting project. Congress won't save the money, they simply won't spend it on bicycling. There is no sensible rationale for the proposed cut. Bicycling projects create more jobs per dollar than highway-only projects. In our region, 19% of traffic fatalities are bicyclists or pedestrians, a number likely to rise if this money disappears. Transportation Enhancement funding was instrumental in the creation of valuable trails like the Chester Valley Trail, the Perkiomen Trail, the Schuylkill River Trail on Schuylkill Banks, our Bicycle Ambassador program, and Doylestown's Bike and Hike Network. Yet members of Congress think it prudent to move us backwards to a 1950's, highway-only mindset, as if oil embargoes, increased congestion, the obesity epidemic, and climate change have not happened.

We expect the Senate to move first, so we are asking you to contact your Senator and urge them to support continued funding for biking and walking. Don't let Congress take away this vital investment program for smart, sustainable, safe transportation choices.

Please take action today and send an email to your Senator. Every email counts!

Congressional Listening Session Tour on Transportation Comes to an End; Drafting of the New T Bill to Begin in April

Chair Mica and Reps Meehan and Shuster

Chairman John Mica (R-FL) wrapped up his Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee's nationwide tour of a dozen Congressional Districts in King of Prussia, PA today by listening to selected speakers from around the Greater Philadelphia region.  Chairman Mica was joined by host Congressman Pat Meehan (PA-07) and Bill Shuster (PA-09) on the panel. 

Chairman Mica, who started the week in Afghanistan and Europe and the day in Scranton PA, opened the session by stating that he wants to the next federal transportation bill to make proper choices about building infrastructure and nation's economy.  He also said that he was done with extensions and was going to start drafting a bill in April.  Moments of opportunity, identifying where red tape could be cut, and adding in a rail component were items that the Chairman wants in his bill.

Overall, the theme of the session was "how to do more with less."  It was mentioned over a dozen times throughout the two hours by Members of Congress and the speakers. Chairman Mica stated unequivocally that the gas tax was not going to get raised, explaining, "it's not just my position, it's just not going to happen in the reality in which I live."  He stated that the goal was to find ways to raise revenue without raising taxes.  But, to start, he asked the speakers directly, "what do you want changed?"

P3s, or public private partnerships, were the hot topic.  State Senator John Rafferty (44th District) is chair of the Transportation Committee and spoke about his legislation to create more of these partnerships to raise revenue for transportation projects.  Senator Rafferty said that his committee had concluded that states need more flexibility from the feds to toll.  He was quick to say that the state needed $20-60 Billion to upkeep the existing transportation system, but that P3s could help supplement. 

Cecile Charlton Delaware County Transportation Management Association and Rob Henry of Greater Valley Forge TMA  spoke about how they already do more with less and work hard to promote all modes of transportation, especially SEPTA, the region's transit agency.  Given the growth of jobs and housing in the counties, having a strong transit system is critical.  Ms. Charlton urged the committee to look at public transit as an important piece of the new bill.  Mr. Henry echoed Ms. Charlton by saying how they strive to be multi modal, promote cycling and encouraged employers be more involved and integrated in the transportation discussion. Charlton and Henry deserve a shout-out for being the most multi-modal oriented in their remarks among all of the speakers.

Barry Seymour of Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission made three points: that 1) regional planning works, 2) the biggest constraint is funding; only 2/3 is available to meet basic needs and 3) state and localities need more ways to raise funds to supplement federal funding.  "Our challenge is to maintain what we have."  He also said that not only was Valley Forge the first home of the nation, it was home to the country's first traffic jam.

Bob Latham of the Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition asked Chairman Mica to set a national vision for transportation in the context of no gas tax.  He said that there is a need to marry transportation policy with the nation's energy policy of becoming less dependent on foreign oil. 

Other speakers spoke about how technology could help improve best practices and reduce project delivery times; how more metrics are needed and how P3s would work, but that government funding is still needed.

Mr. Meehan asked the speakers about what exactly governors and mayors need to make public private partnerships work.  Senator Rafferty asked that for more flexibility to toll; for the Feds "to loosen the leash." 
Senator Rafferty then expounded his support for decking the "Schuylkill" Expressway (I-76) and that many would pay a $5 toll to get "quickly" into Center City Philadelphia.   Mica's response was that he had a problem with tolling existing roadways, "then we no longer have free highways."  He supported tolling for new expansions instead.

Rob Henry was asked how would p3s work on a smaller scale? His answer: its done already; Business Improvement Districtss; shuttle systems; extending High Speed Rail to further reaches of Philadelphia suburbs. 

Breen Goodwin of the BCGP spoke up for TE and SRTS

Chairman Mica took public comments for a few minutes before closing the session. Breen Goodwin and myself of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia made the points that bicycling and walking funding needed to be part of the federal transportation discussion; that it was only 1.2% of the federal transportation budget and shouldn't be cut, and that federal transportation dollars spent on biking and walking is cost effective and leverages other state and private dollars.   Go to the @bcgp twitter account to see the tweets made by John Boyle during the session. #T&Isession

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia organized supporters to attend the session and supplied them with bike and ped pins. Over a dozen in the room wore them.  Mr. Meehan gladly accepted a bike pin at the beginning and wore it throughout the session.  He remarked that he recalled Congressman Blumenaur wearing one regularly.  Mr. Meehan and his office  has met three times with the Bicycle Coalition in the past several weeks to discuss TE and SRTS and about a conceptual multi-use trail through his district that would link up Valley Forge Historic Park to the John Heinz Refuge. His willingness to listen and talk about the importance of trails to link together local communities is encouraging and we welcome his support as the transportation bill takes form.

The record for this meeting will stay open for 10 days and both Chairman Mica and Congressman Meehan and Shuster invited submissions of written ideas for what should be included in the transportation bill.  Seems like an opportunity not to be wasted.