April 2015 Texas Transportation Commission Meeting

In April, BikeTexas Executive Director Robin Stallings spoke to the TTC. Robin addressed agenda item 4B, the Unified Transportation Program (UTP), reminding the Commission that when the UTP is updated it’s also a good time to revisit the current status of bike and pedestrian facility funding in the state. To watch Robin’s remarks, click here: http://txdot.swagit.com/play/04302015-615, choose agenda item 4B, and skip to 16:00. A summary of Robin’s remarks is below.

• During 2001-2012, TxDOT transferred $165 million of bike/ped/trail funding to highway rest stops.
• Transportation Alternative Program or TAP is the name of the federal Bike/Ped/trail funding.
• $36 million per year of Bike/Ped/trail transfers have continued under the MAP-21 TAP program.
• $36 million is 100% of the flexible TAP funding.
• Texas receives less than 10% of federal TAP funding but accounts for over 30% of transfers nationally.
• Bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities in Texas have risen to 16%.
• Beginning with the passage of MAP-21, there has been an effort to save TAP funding for bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
• BikeTexas met with and wrote letters to TxDOT staff regarding utilizing TAP for bike/ped/trail facilities.
• The TxDOT BAC also requested the funds be saved.
• Over 500 emails and phone calls from citizens and elected officials from all over Texas have asked to save TAP funding.
• Twenty-one people have spoken or written letters in support of TAP, including city engineers; elected officials; civic leaders; doctors; university professors; parks professionals; and advocates, from Amarillo; Lubbock; Dallas; Paris; Nacodoches; Corpus Christi; Brownsville; San Antonio; San Marcos; Austin; El Paso; and many rural areas.
• Please leave the $36 million of TAP funds in TAP for bike/ped projects.