Congress is about to eliminate infrastructure programs that demonstrably create jobs, improve safety, provide transportation choices, and promote the most energy-efficient of all travel modes: walking and bicycling. All of this without reducing the cost of the overall bill. The Senate bill reduces the small percentage of transportation funding currently targeted to bicycling and walking. This bill also does not reduce the cost of the overall bill. Furthermore, the Senate bill makes it totally optional for states.

Along with our colleagues in America Bikes coalition, the League has issued an action alert urging Congress to reject entirely the proposed highway bill (H.R.7) in the House of Representatives, and to support the bipartisan Cardin-Cochran amendment to the Senate bill to preserve local control over transportation funds.

The Senate and House Bill are unprecedented attacks on the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Take action today, pass the action alert to your friends and family, and register for the National Bike Summit this March 20-22 in Washington, D.C. This event is critical for bicycling, and we need every cyclists to personally tell their representatives about the importance of bicycling.

It’s time to tell our representatives that we bike, and we vote. Together, we can save cycling and our streets.

Andy Clarke
League President

Clarke was appointed to the position of Executive Director in April of 2004 after successfully leading efforts to create, interpret and implement the various transportation programs that are available to improve conditions for bicycling and walking as the League’s State and Local Advocacy Director.

Votes are not made public until 20 minutes after passage of bills but here is the Senate link to keep checking.

Thanks to all of you for taking part in this very important action alert; telling your senators that “I bike. I vote.”; and spreading the word in your clubs and stores, with your colleagues, and on your social media sites. All of your calls and e-mails made the difference.

Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.

Today, the FTA announced that “all pedestrian improvements located within one-half mile and all bicycle improvements located within three miles of a public transportation stop or station shall have a de facto physical and functional relationship to public transportation.” Apparently in response to public comments, the agency also stipulated that projects located beyond those distances can be eligible if walkers and cyclists could reasonable be expected to make longer trips.

Photo: Subway and bike, iStock, By Ethan Fink

This policy, which the League enthusiastically welcomes, recognizes that successful transit depends on safe and attractive first-and-last-mile access to stations and stops. Making bicycling and walking safe and attractive makes transit more accessible, practical and appealing. In addition, providing secure bike parking is cheaper than car parking.

When the FTA first proposed the policy in 2009, the League lent its voice in support:

The League of American Bicyclists welcomes the renewed emphasis on livability in the Department of Transportation, especially initiatives to diminish the barriers between the modal administrations within DOT and between USDOT and other Federal agencies. The ability of people to use a combination of walking, bicycling and transit is an essential component in the sustainable growth of cities in the United States.

We also recommended including funding eligibility for bike share programs. Here’s what the FTA had to say in response:

FTA agrees that bicycle sharing systems provide meaningful access to public transportation and help address the problem of the ‘‘first and last mile.’’ Moreover, bicycle sharing programs, like all forms of active transportation, provide numerous benefits, such as reduced carbon emissions and improved public health.

Federal Transit Law limits the use of FTA funds for ‘‘public transportation.’’ Historically, FTA has not included ‘‘bicycle’’ within the definition of ‘‘public transportation.’’ Therefore, while a grantee may use FTA funds to purchase aspects of a bicycle sharing system if those aspects are located near public transportation stops and stations, an FTA grantee may not use FTA funds to purchase bicycles.

We hope that this historical view changes as more and more public bikeshare systems connect travelers to bus, subway, and train systems. London, for example, includes it’s bikeshare program on its transit website.

The policy is good news and we hope that local transit agencies take full advantage of this opportunity to make their transit system more accessible. The following FTA funding programs can be used for capital projects to provide biking and walking access to public transportation facilities:

• Urbanized Area Formula Program
• Major Capital Investments (New Starts & Small Starts)
• Fixed Guideway Modernization
• Bus and Bus Facilities
• Transportation for Elderly Person and Persons with Disabilities
• Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized Areas
• Public Transportation on Indian Reservations
• Job Access and Reverse Commute Program
• New Freedom Program
• Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Program

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.

Pointing to a large parking lot on Capitol Hill, Congressman Blumenauer (D-OR) said, with passion, "I invite you to think about how much the government is paying for this parking. Think of the uses of this expensive real estate." (Photo: Darren Flusche)

“As gas prices go up, people get cranky,” Representative Earl Blumenauer said first thing to the audience gathered to see his announcement of the Commuter Relief Act. He said he wanted to help Americans break free from “the tyranny of the pump” and called for “commuter equity” under the tax code.

Every day the League gets calls from organizations and individuals asking us about the Bicycle Commuter Benefit, which has been helping Americans cover the costs of biking to work since it was enacted in January 2009. Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer announced legislation that, among other things, would strengthen the bike commuter benefit and allow greater flexibility in the use of commuter fringe benefits.

Under the current rules of the Bicycle Commuter Benefit, bike commuters can only receive up to $20 a month for biking-related expenses — less than Congressman Blumenauer and the League had wanted — and the benefit cannot be combined with in a single month with other transportation fringe benefits.

For bike commuters, the Commuter Relief Act would:

• Increase the amount of the bike commuter benefit from $20 to $40 a month.
• Allow bike commuters to combine the bike commuter benefit with other fringe benefits — up to $200. For example, You could use the $40 bike benefit and collect up to $160 of your public transit benefit.

In addition, the Commuter Relief Act would:

• Cap all transportation fringe benefits at $200 a month (the parking benefit is currently $230, the transit cap will drop to $130 at the end of 2011).
• Allow self-employed people to receive transit fringe benefits for work-related commuting.
• Require employers offering a parking transportation fringe benefit to also offer employees the option to take cash instead. This would create an incentive for more people to leave the car at home and take cheaper options, like transit, biking, and walking.
• Create a 10 percent tax credit for vanpool expenditures

Congressmen Earl Blumenauer announces the Commuter Relief Act (Photo: Darren Flusche)

By capping the parking benefit at $200, the legislation would expand commuter benefits to non-drivers while not costing the government any additional money. This makes it what’s known as “revenue neutral,” meaning that it will not contribute to the deficit, an important quality in today’s budget atmosphere.

Representatives Jim Moran and Mazie Hirono, co-sponsors of the bill, joined the League of American Bicyclists, the American Public Transit Association, the Association for Commuter Transportation, and others in supporting the bill.

From left Representatives Blumenauer, Moran (D-VA), and Hirono (D-HI) (Photo: Darren Flusche)

By providing a large parking benefit than transit and bike commuter benefits, the government is essentially subsidizing congestion. And parking doesn’t come cheap. ”I invite you to think about how much the government is paying for this parking,” Congressman Blumenauer said, pointing to a large parking lot on Capitol Hill, “Think of the uses of this expensive real estate.”

This legislation is an inexpensive attempt to right the balance and provide an additional incentive for people to choose active transportation to work.

Read more at Streetsblog DC.

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.

According to the Washington Post, people who were at the gathering were also surprised by how many red Capital Bike Share bikes they saw in front of the White House. They wrote, “Stephen Miller joined the spontaneous celebration at the White House. Although he rode his own bike, he was struck by the number of red Capital Bikeshare bikes he saw as he headed downtown from his home in Mount Pleasant. Miller shot a Twitpic of more than a dozen parked near the celebration.”

Nothing about the evening was predictable, but it certainly was interesting to see this unexpected role for public bikes unfold – and if you look carefully at news footage of the crowds gathering outside the White House, you can see the tell-tale blinky lights in the background!

Andy Clarke
League President

Clarke was appointed to the position of Executive Director in April of 2004 after successfully leading efforts to create, interpret and implement the various transportation programs that are available to improve conditions for bicycling and walking as the League’s State and Local Advocacy Director.

The Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling posted:

It turns out that the fastest way to get to the Reston Town Center from the neighborhood near South Lakes High School, about 3 miles away, is to ride a bicycle. Bruce Wright of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) made the trip in just over 13 minutes.

The winner Bruce Wright (left) took 13 minutes on a bike. He is congratulated by Kathleen Driscoll McKee who took 52 minutes taking a bus. Photos by Mike McKee.

Another bicyclist who took the same route but rode at an easier pace, Kerie Hitt, also of FABB, arrived next 3 and a half minutes later. Delegate Ken Plum’s trip in his hybrid car took him 19 minutes. Taking the long route with a ride through Hunter’s Woods Village Center on the RIBS 2 bus on her way to the Town Center was Reston Association President and School Board candidate Kathleen Driscoll McKee. She had a leisurely trip of 50 minutes.

“This was a good simulation that demonstrates real alternatives to the automobile for short trips in Reston and the rest of our community” noted Delegate Plum. He also said that short car trips are the least efficient, even for his hybrid car, which only averaged 30 mpg on the 3 mile trip.

The group was met at the Pavilion by Supervisor Cathy Hudgins who is a long-time supporter of transportation alternatives for Hunter Mill District residents. She has supported Bike to Work Day in Reston from the beginning in 2002. The last several years she has appeared at the event on her folding bike. Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 20. The Reston event will be held at the Town Center Pavilion. Susan Stillman, who is a member of the Vienna Bicycle Advisory Committee and a FABB member, rode from Vienna to greet the group at the Pavilion and to congratulate Bruce.

According to Bruce, “Riding a bike for transportation is a viable option for many people. What we showed today is that bicycling and driving travel times are very comparable for short trips, and bicycling costs much less and is better for the environment. I didn’t use any foreign oil on the trip.”

While RA President Driscoll McKee had the longest trip, she noted that the RIBS 2 bus was nearly full during the trip. The fare was $1.50. As a bus rider she could read, check her email, or otherwise make productive use of her time. To schedule her trip we used WMATA’s Trip Planner, entering an origin, destination, and either arrival or departure time and selecting from the options. When Metrorail arrives in Reston local bus routes will be modified to provide more frequent service for accessing the Wiehle and Reston Parkway stations, making them a much more attractive alternative to driving and paying to park.

See coverage of the event on the Reston Patch, including a video segment.

See additional photos from the event. Photos by Mike McKee.

Reston will be one of many cities and areas participating in the D.C. metro area’s Bike to Work Day celebration on Friday, May 20 that is hosted by WABA.

Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.

New Mexico legislators recently passed the nation’s first 5 foot passing bill, however Governor Martinez must sign this by Friday for the bill to become law. Cyclists in New Mexico are urged to take action and let the Governor know how important it is for her to sign this into law. For those who have already sent an email, please follow-up with a phone call by calling her office at (505)476-2200.

Maryland HB 363 “Manslaughter by Vehicle or Vessel“  seeks to provide a misdemeanor option for those who cause fatalities by driving in a criminally negligent manner. After Bike Maryland’s 7 years of work on this legislation, the bill passed the Maryland state House only to be caught up in committee. The League helped generate hundreds of emails in support of the bill. Despite support from all area bicycling organizations, area media editorial boards, environmental groups and AAA Mid-Atlantic,  the fate of the bill lies with Judicial Proceedings Chair (and Bike/Ped Caucus member) Senator Brian Frosh who has not been supportive.  The Committee is meeting on the bill at this very second.

Georgia’s HB101 “The Better Bicycling Bill” has progressed through the Georgia House, Senate Public Safety Committee and is expected to pass the Senate Rules Committee early next week.  The bill will clean up and clarify outdated Georgia laws related to bicycling safety. This legislation specifies that cyclists have the right-of-way in bike lanes and establishes minimum guidelines for safe bicycle facilities. It will also modernize Georgia’s code to better accommodate current bicycling equipment. Georgia cyclists can help with the last minute push by taking action here.

Recently we alerted you to a campaign to protect critical funding in the Houston-Galveston region.  While falling short of  the full amount that active transportation advocates had sought, $12.8 million was preserved to fund biking, walking and transit improvements for the next three years. Our friends at Streetsblog Capitol Hill have a full write-up. Congratulations to Bike Houston, Houston Tomorrow and all other groups and individuals who waged a smart and energized campaign.

Offroad cycling advocates in Boulder, CO took a bit of a hit last week in mountain bike access in the West TSA. The long sought after connection would provide better access to trails currently open to offroad cyclists. Despite insufficient mountain bike access called out in Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Plan and after a long campaign of the Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance (supported by IMBA, Bikes Belong and the League of American Bicyclists), Boulder City Council still failed to provide the access advocates were after. Read a write-up of the City Council vote, as well as the long history of the fight for access in the West TSA here.

Do you have a state or local campaign you need assistance with or want to share your story? Let us know!

Jeff Peel
State and Local Advocacy Coordinator

Peel joined the League in March 2008 as a Program Specialist for the Bicycle Friendly Communities program. Peel has a BA in American Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Washington, D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare has become increasingly popular among D.C. residents, commuters and tourists — and now even celebrity visitors are joining in on the convenience and fun. Yesterday, April 4, Kevin Spacey took a whirl around D.C. on a Capital Bikeshare bike. He even stopped for the perfunctory photo-op in front of the White House.

Capital Bikeshare, launched September 2010, was a welcomed addition to the city’s transportation system by bike commuters and D.C. residents alike. Capital Bikeshare maintained its usage rates during the winter — ridership increased 67 percent from December 2010 to February 2011 despite some chilly D.C. temps. There were 48,215 total Bikeshare trips in February, almost exactly as many trips were taken in November (48,217). Now that it’s April and warmer, take a ride on D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare. If we can’t encourage you, maybe Kevin Spacey can.

Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.

Upset that the TPC would stray from language in the 2035 Transportation Plan, stating that roadway spending should make up no more than 55% of regional transportation infrastructure spending, advocates in the Houston area organized. Houston Tomorrow started an online petition and joined  Bike Houston and other area cyclists at the TPC’s February 25th meeting to present the petition and insist that this funding be preserved.

Thanks to these hardworking advocates there has been a temporary reprieve. City of Houston Council member Sue Lovell motioned for a delay of 30 days so that TPC members could further investigate options and hear from their constituents. See Houston Tomorrow’s ongoing blog coverage here.

While significant progress has been made, pressure on the TPC and Houston-Galvelston Area elected leaders is still needed. League President Andy Clarke has written this letter to TPC members asking for the preservation of these  funds for bicycling and other active transportation projects. Houston area cyclists can still help save this critical funding by signing on to this petition. Cyclists are also encouraged to attend the TPC’s next meeting March 25th at 9:30 am in the  H-GAC building at 3555 Timmons on the 2nd floor in Conference Room A.

Jeff Peel
State and Local Advocacy Coordinator

Peel joined the League in March 2008 as a Program Specialist for the Bicycle Friendly Communities program. Peel has a BA in American Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Blumenauer makes the point that in order to make livable communities and bicycling infrastructure a reality, that we need to help people connect to the facts. “Our message is different, and people like it,” said Blumenauer. ”If we can do it on Pennsylvania Avenue, maybe we can do it with some of our national treasures.”

Blumenauer closed with reminding Summit attendees to remind their representatives to “not cut what you haven’t visited.”

Keynote speaker Sadik-khan has been busy lately in NYC creating a city that all road users can be safe using. She referenced all the great cities in America that are implementing lanes and infrastructure on their streets, including Pennsylvannia Avenue in D.C., Broadway in NYC, Market St. in San Francisco, and Spruce St. in Philidelphia. She pointed out that “none of this was there five years ago…well maybe in Portland,” but that it takes courage and the tools to make it happen. ”It’s painstaking work…there are setbacks but that is to be expected when you are in the business of change.” Luckily, NYC has a mayor that understands the importance of being a bicycle-friendly city. “We have Bloomberg and the political courage.” New York now has 250 miles of new bike lanes.

However, it was Sadik-khan’s big news that wowed the whole crowd —  the release of the new NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide. ”We would like the FHWA to recognize these as national standards and for AASHTO to do the same,” said Sadik-khan. “We will make cycling safe and excessible for everyone.” And that is exactly what this guide will do. For cities that do not have the courage of Bloomberg or Sakik-khan, they will now be able to readily provide for their streets and users — backed with standard guidelines.

Secretary Salazar closed the plenary with a fundamental message for Summit attendees to remember when they visit Capitol Hill on Thursday. “I encourage all of you to put a focal point on all the economics that are involved in bicycling…bicycling is essential.”

Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.