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Right to Road: time to make noise
In November, we asked you to sign our Right to the Road petition against the “mandatory sidepath” provision in the Senate transportation bill. The restrictive clause would limit cyclists from riding on roads on federal lands under certain conditions. Read more here and here. Now, we are asking you to contact your Senator directly.
We have carried over 14,000 signatures to Capitol Hill, but it’s not enough.
We are happy to report that Senators Jeffrey Merkley of Oregon and Al Franken of Minnesota are leading an effort to have this provision removed. However, some other Senate offices still aren’t convinced that their constituents care about the issue.
We now need to ask you to contact your Senator directly on the matter. You can use our action center to send an email to your Senators, or call the Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak to your Senate office.
If you call, simply tell the staffer you speak with that you’re opposed to restricting bicycle use on federal lands – the law unfairly and unreasonably restricts cycling at a time when we should be encouraging bicycling for transportation, health, recreation, air quality and a host of other reasons.
Take action now – Thank you!
Darren Flusche
League Policy Analyst
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
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February 23rd, 2012 at 2:10 pm
And a good example of why we need all of the Bicycling Big Three in the same tent on issues like this. See previous blog post.
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:56 pm
Of course if there is no federal money to build side paths then this requirement would be mute.
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:51 pm
The law says that bicycles and motor vehicles must share the road. Sidepath mandates restrict our legal right to use the roadway.
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:55 pm
Bicyclists have a legal right to use public ways. A mandate removes this right.