ACT NOW to Save Biking and Walking in Texas!

AT THIS VERY MOMENT, the U.S. Senate and House are taking action to eliminate key programs that fund walking and biking

LET’S TAKE ACTION TO PRESERVE WALKING AND BIKING IN TEXAS

MAP-21 in the Senate and H.R.7 in the House – as they stand now – represent the forces that want to spend all our tax money to build expensive highways and leave biking and walking in the dust.

Across the country, groups are mobilizing to ensure Americans have the freedom to choose healthy, economically beneficial transportation options. Your help is needed RIGHT NOW

1) Ask Senators Cornyn and Hutchison to support the Cardin/Cochran and Kloubacher Amendments

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:

Cardin/Cochran Amendment #1549 to restore TE funds
Klobuchar Amendment to restore the Recreational Trails Program

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.

2) Ask your Member of Congress to support the Petri Amendment

IT IS NOT TOO LATE – These key amendments would prevent shortsightedness and special interests from ruining our transportation future for decades.

Senator Hutchison:

202-224-5922

Email form

Senator Cornyn:

202-224-2934

Email Form

Find Your Member of Congress

Click here

U.S. Senate – WHAT YOU CAN DO

Ask both of your Senators to support the Cardin/Cochran (Amendment #1549)* and Klobuchar** amendments

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.

The bill guts Transportation Enhancements, which for decades has been the key source of funding for paved trails and other bike/ped transportation infrastructure.

The bill would allow TE money, less than 2% of the transportation budget, to be spent towards expensive new eligible projects, like roads and vegetation maintenance, instead of the bike/ped transportation option Texas desperately needs.

*Fortunately, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) have introduced an amendment to MAP-21 that would ensure we have a fair shot at dedicating funds for trails, walking and bicycling.

**Further, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will introduce another amendment that would restore the integrity of the Recreational Trails Program.

Ask Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn:

Will you support floor amendments by Senators Cardin/Cochran (to give Texas decision-makers access to TE funds) and Klobuchar (to reinstate the integrity of the Recreational Trails Program)?

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).

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.

U.S. House – WHAT YOU CAN DO

Ask your Member of Congress to support the Petri Amendment – The Transportation Improvement Program

The House transportation bill is even worse than the Senate version.

Despite the fact that walking and biking make up 12% of trips and 14% of traffic fatalities but receive only 1.5% of federal funding, the House bill eliminates dedicated funding for walking and bicycling.

Both bills are purported to create jobs, but fail miserably. 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.

Luckily, an amendment authored by Tom Petri (R-Wisc.) and co-sponsored by Texas’ own Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Dallas) among others, corrects the transportation bill.

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

Click here

General Guidelines

* 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.

See all our Guidelines for writing your represenatives here:

https://www.biketexas.org/en/get-involved/tips-on-writing-your-representative

OTHER ACTIONS