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Educational Resources
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SRTS Event Handbook
Events Calendar
Wed, Feb 22 6:30pm -
8:30pm
BikeTexas Office - 1902 E. 6th St., Austin, TX 78702
ACA Monthly Meeting
Sat, Feb 2512:00pm -
4:00pm
Comfort , TX
KidsKup - STORM Hill Country Challenge
Thu, Mar 1 7:00pm -
8:00pm
Chamber of Commerce, Tyler
Tyler Bicycle Club Monthly Meeting
Sat, Mar 312:00pm -
4:00pm
TBA, TX
KidsKup - Mellow Johnny's Classic
Sun, Mar 4
San Antonio's 2nd Síclovía
Action Alerts!
ACT NOW to Save Biking and Walking in Texas!
Wednesday, 15 February 2012 10:10
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SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR U.S. SENATE CONTACTS: Dear Senator YOUR MEMBER'S NAME, I am a Texan voter and a cyclist/pedestrian/parent/teacher/member of BikeTexas/city transportation planner/parks official/etc (STATE ANY AND ALL RELEVANT AFFILIATIONS). Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements are very important to me because of the Texas obesity epidemic/I have been hit by a car/my roads are unsafe for my children/etc. (USE YOUR OWN WORDS) I urge you to support the following amendments to MAP-21:
I am very upset that MAP-21, as it was voted out of the Environment and Public Works Committee, fails to provide dedicated funding that we can count on to support trails, walking and bicycling. Through inclusion of expensive new eligible projects like roads, activities like routine maintenance of vegetation and compliance with regulatory requirements, the newly defined Transportation Enhancements (TE) program will no longer be used by my state transportation department to fund trails, walking and bicycling. These transportation opportunities are absolutely necessary for our communities--and our nation--to continue creating jobs, providing affordable transportation, bettering our energy security, improving health and safety, and more. As this bill is also about creating jobs, it is worth noting that a recent study by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials found that TE projects, like building trails, create more jobs per dollar than do highway projects like road resurfacing. Thank you for your continued service. |
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SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR U.S. CONGRESS CONTACTS: Dear Representative YOUR MEMBER'S NAME, I am a voter in your district and a cyclist/pedestrian/parent/teacher/member of BikeTexas/city transportation planner/parks official/etc (STATE ANY AND ALL RELEVANT AFFILIATIONS). Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements are very important to me because of the Texas obesity epidemic/I have been hit by a car/my roads are unsafe for my children/etc. (USE YOUR OWN WORDS) I urge you to support the Petri Amendment that preserves dedicated funding for walking and biking. Local Governments deserve a voice in transportation. The bipartisan Petri Amendment ensures that cities and counties have an opportunity to weigh in on transportation decisions. Construction projects get moving. The Petri Amendment kick-starts small, low-impact construction projects, providing transportation, economic, health, and safety benefits sooner. Active Transportation is a wise investment. Walking and Biking infrastructure is low-cost, creates more jobs per dollar than any other kind of highway spending, and is critical to economic development for main street America. Safety matters. Bicycle and pedestrian deaths make up 14% of all traffic fatalities, yet biking and walking receive less that 2% of funding. These programs provide funding for sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways that make streets safer for all users. Thank you for your continued service. |
The Petri Amendment preserves dedicated funding for Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancementsand consolidates these programs into the Transportation Improvement Program.
Ask your Member of Congress:
Will you support the Petri Amendment to improve America's transportation system?
Find your Member of Congress
* Identify yourself as a voter and a constituent
* Briefly state why these programs are important to you and why
* Make a specific, direct ask of support for these amendments
* Be polite, thank them for their service.
http://www.biketexas.org/en/get-involved/tips-on-writing-your-representative
This is a huge moment in the history of bike-friendly America. Many of BikeTexas' partners at the federal level are quickly mobilizing:
Action Alert: Take the TPWD Survey
Tuesday, 16 August 2011 13:03
It's time to show your support of Texas State Parks.
The Recreation Grants Branch at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is conducting a survey of Texas citizens. Please show your support by responding.
Click here to Take the Survey
Two great reasons to take the survey:
TPWD, always on the Texas Legislative chopping block, had a particularly rough time this past session. Your support through this questionnaire shows that Texans highly value their State Parks.
TPWD receives federal Recreational Trail Program funding through TxDOT, who has cut Rec Trails in the past as part of other painful decisions in federal recission requests. In response to feedback from BikeTexas regarding previous cuts to Recreational Trails Program funding, TxDOT invited BikeTexas to sit on the TxDOT Stakeholder Committee on Rescissions. After input from BikeTexas at the very first meeting in May 2011, the stakeholder committee chose to save all of the $3 million in Recreational Trail funds. Your support of TPWD does much to strengthen BikeTexas' hand at these meetings.
Contact Congress: Do Not Cut Bike-Ped Funds!
Monday, 11 July 2011 10:32
Three federal programs critical to walking and biking, Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and Recreational Trails Program, are being targeted for elimination as the transportation bill is being written in the House and Senate committees.
House Transportation Chairman John Mica (R-FL) announced yesterday that his transportation bill will eliminate dedicated funding for bicycling and walking, including Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and the Recreational Trails Program, and discourage states from choosing to spend their dollars on these activities that are "not in the federal interest."
Things on the Senate side are not much better. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), the lead Republican negotiator on the transportation bill, declared that one of his TOP THREE priorities for the transportation bill is toeliminate 'frivolous spending for bike trails.'
U.S Senators serve all Texas citizens. Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is on the Senate Transportation Committee and is past chair of the Senate Bicycle Caucus. Senator Hutchison has been a champion for Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements in the past. Contacting Senator Hutchison is the highest priority.
Senator John Cornyn is the other Senator representing Texas in Washington. A message to Senator Cornyn will also help.
Action: Ask Senator Hutchison to continue her support for biking and walking by preventing this gutting of these programs.
Phone: 202-224-5922
Email: Click here
Phone: 202-224-2934
Email: Click here
U.S. House of Representatives: What you can do
Representatives Blake Farenthold (R-Corpus Christi) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Dallas) both sit on the House Transportation Committee. It is the highest priority that they hear from their constituents asking them not to cut these vital programs.
BikeTexas has met with Rep. Farenthold several times and he has pledged to support continued funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School, and Rec Trails. As a Republican member of a majority Republican committee, Rep. Farenthold will have the most influence with Chairman Mica. Rep. E.B. Johnson has always been a reliable supporter of these three programs, please thank her and ask her to continue her support.
Action: Click here to find out who your U.S. House Representative is. If you are a constituent of Blake Farenthold or Eddie Bernice Johnson, ask them to pledge support to prevent gutting of these programs.
Congressman Blake Farenthold (R-Corpus Christi)
Phone: 202-225-7742
Email: Click here
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Dallas)
Phone: 202-225-8885
Email: Click here
If you are represented by any other congressperson, use this link to find his or her contact information. Ask your Representative to talk with a colleague serving on the House Congressional Transportation Committee with whom they have a relationship, to urge them to keep these important programs.
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Before writing or calling, please review our general guidelines for writing your representatives. Some specific points we suggest you make for a letter or phone call are:
- Properly address your representative (see our general guidelines) Identify yourself as a constituent (e.g. "I'm a voter in District 4", or "I live in your district.")
- Briefly state your background and any relevant affiliations (e.g., I'm a city official/engineer/PTA member/parent and a member of BikeTexas)
- State that these programs are important to you and why in a short sentence or two. Make it personal to your experience. See our FAQ's for ideas.
- Ask that your representative OPPOSE cuts in these programs. Making a specific request is key. You might ask it as a question, e.g. "Will you oppose elimination of Bike-Ped funding?"
- Be polite. You might thank them for their public service.
For more information, contact BikeTexas at 512-476-7433.
Action Alert: Ask your Senator today to Vote Yes on SB 513 - Complete Streets
Friday, 13 May 2011 11:47
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Action Alert: Ask Senate Transportation Committee to vote YES on SB 513
Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:28
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