When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast this week, countless people lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their means of transportation. Thousands of people from neighboring Louisiana have taken refuge in cities and towns across Texas. Texas Bicycle Coalition is working with the Texas bicycle community to coordinate a thoughtful and concerted response.

Several staff members visited the Toney Burger Center in Austin, a local Red Cross shelter for hurricane victims, on August 31 to assess need and determine how the cycling community may be able to help. As a result of this visit, and with growing support from the bicycle industry and our membership, Texas Bicycle Coalition is spearheading efforts to provide bicycle education and recreation to the thousands of refugee children living at Red Cross shelters.

{attractor float=left}Texas Bicycle Coalition played a pivotal role in the passage of the new Federal Transportation bill. {/attractor}Texas Bicycle Coalition played a pivotal role in the passage of the new Federal Transportation bill.. Working with Texas bicycle dealers and industry leaders, cycling clubs and scores of individual members, Texas Bicycle Coalition succeeded in delivering a powerful message to our Congressional delegates. 

Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act-Legacy for Users -- a long title for a huge bill that required 11 extensions to finalize. The Federal Transportation bill that was signed by President Bush in August 2005 is a landmark for the cycling community.

Several key programs will receive increased funding, including the Recreational Trails program, Transportation Enhancements program, and the Congestion and Mitigation of Air Quality program. The new bill also launches a $612 million Safe Routes to School program for the entire nation. At a time when funding for many programs is being slashed, our leaders have demonstrated that they recognize the need to improve conditions for bicycling in the US.

Another round of studies of the I-69 branch of the Trans-Texas Corridor is nearing completion. A project of the national highway system, I-69 could add several thousand miles of new roadway along the 1600 mile Corridor that is proposed to cut through southern and eastern Texas . . . and you can bet that none of those miles will be appropriate for cycling.

Many rural highways will likely be buried beneath the new Corridor. At a public meeting in Katy last month, one of the alignments being considered included FM 359 and Winner Foster Road, near Fulshear.

America Bikes, a national bicycle advocacy group and legislative watchdog, established to promote bicycling within the Capitol Complex in Washington, DC, reported July 22:

Late last night the House and Senate passed the tenth extension to TEA-21, giving lawmakers until Wednesday July 27th to resolve differences and present a bill to the President for his signature.

After a period of delay, we know that the process is moving again; the senior eight House and Senate conferees met yesterday evening in an effort to resolve a dispute over how much each state gets back from the gas taxes it collects for the Highway Trust Fund.