The bill (soon to be available on transportation.house.gov) reverses 20 years of progress by:

• destroying Transportation Enhancements by making it optional;

• repealing the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school;

• allowing states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles;

• eliminating bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs; and

• eliminating language that insures that rumble strips “do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled.”

On Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee will mark-up the bill and Representatives Petri (R-WI) and Johnson (R-IL) will sponsor an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Representatives Petri and Johnson can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their representative today.

Because of these urgent new developments, and the vital importance of a HUGE turnout on Capitol Hill in March, the National Bike Summit early bird registration deadline has been extended to Feb 20. We need every single cyclist in Washington, D.C. that the city can hold (and that’s thousands …). Register today!

Stay in touch by visiting bikeleague.org and americabikes.org for background and breaking news.

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.

For the past 20 years, the federal Transportation program has included dedicated funding for biking and walking. Over the course of twenty years and three federal transportation laws, federal support for bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure projects has slowly ticked upwards. As a result, more and more communities feature safe roads for people who travel on foot or by bicycle and more people are bicycling — there has been a 40% increase in bicycling from 2000 to 2009 and a surge in Bicycle Friendly Communities.

In 1992, Congress passed ISTEA, the first federal transportation bill to include funding for transit, biking, and walking. As each consecutive transportation bill passed and continued dedicated funding for biking and walking, funding increased from $23 million for 50 new projects in 1992 to $297 million dollars and 971 projects in 2000, to a record $1.2 billion dollars and 3010 projects in 2009.

However, recently there has been a drop in funding and projects — since 2009 — as a result of the decline in stimulus spending that was available for a limited period and uncertainty over the future of the programs. A similar phenomenon occurred between 1997 and 2005. Now, however, a new transportation bill threatens to eliminate federal support for biking and walking infrastructure all together.

Next Thursday, the House Transportation Committee will vote (see timeline) on the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, a bill that eliminates crucial funds for biking and walking. Representatives on the Transportation Committee are key positions to save dedicated funding for biking and walking.

The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, the long awaited multi-year Transportation bill, eliminates the two largest programs that fund biking and walking infrastructure — Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Without these programs, communities all over the country will lose resources to build the sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways that make biking and walking safe and accessible in communities across the country.

We can’t let that happen  – take action now and ask your elected officials to preserve biking and walking.

Biking and walking are essential parts of everyday transportation in the U.S., and turning off federal funding for projects that keep Americans safe would represent a significant step backwards.

Federal funding for biking and walking keeps people safe. Two out of three pedestrian deaths take place on roads built with federal funding, and new sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways help end preventable deaths and make roads safer for everyone. Moreover, biking and walking make up 12 percent of all trips, but only 1.5 percent of all federal transportation funding.

America Bikes is working in conjunction with their partners to introduce an amendment that will preserve funding for biking and walking. During Thursday’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee vote in the House, Representatives will have the opportunity to pass this amendment to save biking and walking.

To learn more about this issue and keep up-to-date as the bill moves forward, visit americabikes.org. And please, don’t forget to take action and share the action alert to your fellow bicyclists.

Thank you for all your continued support, especially when we needed you the most. We survived repeated attacks on bicycle funding due to all of you responding to our alerts and e-mails. You wrote your state and national politicians, and we have held on to bicycle funding — for now. We even are faced with the possibility of losing our rights to the road on federal lands. We have a lot of work ahead of us but we will be raring to go in 2012. We’re looking forward to the National Bike Summit, National Bike Month, educating new and returning bicyclists nationwide and well, saving cycling again and again.

And if you are searching for that perfect gift for your favorite cyclists this year, make a donation in their name or buy them a League membership — it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Have a wonderful holiday!

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.

The University of Cincinnati (UC) won in both the overall and university competitions by collecting the most signatures. “UC is honored to have received recognition from the League of American Bicyclists. Participation in initiatives like this are important to enhancing the bike culture and bike infrastructure at UC and in the Cincinnati area,” said the UC President‘s Advisory Council on Environment and Sustainability. “It allows UC to connect with other like minded entities nationwide that are leading the way on bike policy and funding initiatives that will ultimately make it easier and safer for students and others to use their bikes on-campus and surrounding areas.”

The League’s affiliated clubs had an impressive showing too. The Bicycle Coalition of Maine won with the most pledges in the business/organization category as did the Mountain Top Cycling Club of Colorado in the bike club category. “All the individuals, businesses, clubs and universities who participated made a difference by both promoting and signing the Peopleforbikes.org pledge,” said Bill Nesper, director of the League’s Bicycle Friendly America Program. “We hope that the pledge continues to grow in momentum and surpasses the 1 million mark.”

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.

If you’d like to give a gift to all cyclists, consider a donation to the League of American Bicyclists.  We’re working every day to build a bicycle friendly America, and keeping an eye out for threats to cycling so you can just enjoy the ride.  Here are just a few recent examples:

• Our petition to preserve your right to the road on federal lands has more than 10,000 signatories

• Twice in the past few months, we’ve mobilized cyclists to save dedicated funding in the Transportation Bill, and the threat looms again.

• When GM launched an ad deriding cyclists, we launched a counter-attack — the ad was withdrawn within the week, and apologies were issued to everyone who complained.

If you’d like to give a gift to an individual cyclist, please consider a gift League membership.  They’ll be thanking you all year long — in addition to helping us build a bicycle friendly America, the membership includes subscriptions to Bicycling and American Bicyclist magazine.

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.

I am inspired by your dedication and tenacity. Cycling advocates are among the most engaged citizens in this country, and I’m so proud to be working with, and for, you.

As you know, there are serious climbs ahead. But I’ve ridden with you long enough to know that you don’t shirk at the steep inclines. You dig in and do what needs to be done, and the coast down the other side is just a time to anticipate that next climb. So watch out Congress, the cyclists are on their way.

From the League family to yours – happy Thanksgiving.

Andy Clarke

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.

Many of you who follow bicycling advocacy have been riding the Transportation Bill and Enhancements roller coaster with the League and our partners in the America Bikes Coalition. We have been battered this year with our current administration’s threat to change the way bicycling is funded and to simply not fund bicycling at all. Currently, there is even a proposed law to force cyclists off roads on Federal lands and onto sidepaths. This is where you come in.

The National Bike Summit is March 20-22 in Washington, D.C.; and on the third day of the event, we coordinate congressional meetings for all attendees with their representatives. You get to meet your senators and tell them what bicycling means to your state and why bicycling is an integral part of our transportation system. Furthermore, the timing couldn’t be better. The Transportation Bill is set to expire on March 31, 2012 — just a few short weeks after we are on the Hill putting the ask in for bicycling. The bill will either be re-written or extended — more than likely extended — and with your help, bicycling will not be left behind.

Please don’t let let Capitol Hill take us back 50 years to a time when bicycling was not funded and not considered transportation. Our hard fought work must not be thrown away. Register for the Summit by tomorrow, November 11 (11.11.11) to SAVE CYCLING and save $50 off the already discounted early bird registration.  Use the code SUMMIT12 when you are filling out the online registration form.

Make your voice heard this March at the Bike Summit. Until then, make your voice heard on Twitter with #nbs12 (National Bike Summit 2012).

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.

Nickelodeon, World Wide Day of Play and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

Alissa Simcox
League Director of Education

Simcox joined the League in July 2011. For the 5 years prior, she worked with the Congressional Youth Leadership Council and the National Association of Home Builders. She holds a BA in Education and Recreation and Leisure Administration from Florida State University.

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.

Sadly, Mr. Coburn’s demands are based on a misrepresentation of the facts about the Transportation Enhancement program, and a serious misunderstanding of the role bicycling and walking play in our nation’s transportation system. Mr. Coburn described transportation enhancements as not having anything to do with safety, or true transportation.

First of all The Transportation Enhancements program is 1.5% percent of the overall transportation program, not 10% as Mr. Coburn would have us believe.

Secondly – Mr. Coburn consistently highlights museums as primary examples of the projects that are funded by TE to try and make his case that TE has nothing to do with Transportation. The reality is that roughly one half (55%) of the 1.5% is usually spent on bicycling and walking infrastructure-such as sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes.  Bicycling and walking trips make up 12% of all trips in the United States; bicyclists and pedestrians comprise 14% of all fatal crash victims on our nation’s roads – and yet these two modes of transportation receive barely more than 1% of Federal transportation investment. Active transportation is growing in popularity and significance in communities throughout the nation-and this welcome trend is due in part to the investment of Federal transportation funds in bicycling and walking infrastructure.

Thirdly – TE program has very much to do with safety.  As mentioned previously, fourteen percent of roadway fatalities are bike riders and pedestrians- two-thirds of which occur on Federal aid Highways.  While roadway fatalities have been decreasing- the percentage of fatalities that are bicyclists and pedestrians has increased.  Building biking and walking infrastructure saves lives.

The real shame is that by holding up passage of a clean extension of the transportation bill, which Congress had already agreed to pass, Senator Coburn will keep 1.8 million people from working on highway construction projects for another six months.

We understand the Senate leadership has offered Mr. Coburn a chance to offer his amendment for a vote on the floor and although Mr. Coburn has not done so yet, we expect that that will be the case.

We can only hope the Mr. Coburn either withdraws his hold on the extension or allows the Senate to vote on his amendment.  The bill extending transportation funding for the next six months is not the legislative vehicle to pass long term national transportation policy. That responsibility lies with the committees of jurisdiction and they should be afforded the opportunity to work out the details on what our nation’s transportation policy will be.

The League urges Congress to pass a clean extension to the transportation bill, and support continued dedicated funding for bicycling and walking programs.   If you have not had an opportunity to contact your Senator yet please visit the League’s advocacy center today to do so.  This maybe our last chance to make sure we have sufficient votes to beat back the Coburn amendment.

The League is also sending this message to the press:  Investing in Transportation Infrastructure for All – A Statement from the America Bikes Coalition

~Walter Finch
Director of Advocacy, League of American Bicyclists

Finch joined the League in 2006 and has more than 20 years of experience in the transportation industry. He worked as a government relations associate with G.S. Proctor & Associates, served as the chief of staff for a member of Maryland’s House of Delegates, and worked at the U.S. Department of Transportation as the Special Assistant, Office of the Secretary, Office of Intermodalism.