Take Action for Bicycling, Walking and Safe Routes to School on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) made signficicant new funding availble for transportation projects of all types and WABA is working hard to ensure that DC, Maryland and Virginia use these transportation funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects.  While each state must use 3% of their highway funds for Transportation Enhancements, bicycle and pedestrian projects are only one of the eligible purposes for the funding. In addition, the remaining 97% of the highway funding presents an opportunity to create complete streets. 

Funding Summary

The Enhancement funds come out to $3.7 million in DC, $12.9 million in Maryland, and $20.8 million in Virginia. 

A total of $123.5 million was allocated for DC, $431 million for Maryland (with $129 million sub allocated for urban areas), and $694.5 million for VA (with $208 million sub allocated for urban areas).

However, as funding as been allocated, and states have submitted their lists of proposed projects for inclusion in the regional Transportation Improvements Plan (as required by federal law), unfortunately bicycle and pedestrian projects were under-represented on many state lists. While the District of Columbia has allocated $3 million for bike sharing and $4 million for Safe Routes to Schools, Maryland and Virginia have not In fact requested funding for a single bike/ped project.

What is Next?

Since states have just 120 days (by May 17th) to obligate half of their available funding and one year to obligate the remainder of funds, it is essential that advocates work quickly to familiarize states with ready-to-go bicycle and pedestrian projects and to ask questions about the designs for the roadway projects being implemented to ensure that as many of these projects as possible can become complete streets. In some states, formulas are being used to divide up this funding, so action needs to happen at the state, regional (MPO) and local (city/county) levels. It is important that advocates take action quickly as states and communities are moving quickly to select projects for funding.

In addition, urbanized areas also have a role to play in the decision-making for approximately 30% of a state’s funding, meaning that advocates can also work at the local level to ensure that local lists of ready-to-go projects include bicycle and pedestrian priorities.

WABA urges all concerned cyclists to write a letter to your state’s governor or mayor about the transportation stimulus funding and your local bicycle/pedestrian projects.  Please see sample letter below.

The letter should be sent to Mayor Adrian Fenty with copies sent to DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, Councilmembers Graham, Wells, Kwame Brown, Bowser and Mendelson, and Gabe Klein, Director of the District Department of Transportation.

Sample Letter:

Dear Mayor Fenty:

I am writing to discuss the District of Columbia's plans for spending the transportation funding that Congress provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The law directs each state to spend 3% of its highway allocation on the Transportation Enhancements program.

Given the quick turnaround time for obligation of transportation funding, I want to ensure that you are aware of the ready-to-go bicycle and pedestrian projects in DC. I encourage you to fund the following projects:

1) 15th Street Cycle Track ($100,000)
2) 16th Street Bike Signals and Counterflow Bike Lane ($100,000)
3) Rhode Island Ave Bike/Ped Bridge ($3.5 million)
4) South Cap/Oxon Run Trails ($5 million)
5) Metropolitan Branch Trail Art Walk Park and L Street Connection ($1.5 million)
6) Metro Bike Parking Project ($500,000)
7) Smartbike Expansion ($3 million)
8) Complete bike route network signing ($750,000)

I also request that DC prioritize our Transportation Enhancements funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects. Building sidewalks, bike lanes, and multi-use paths net more jobs per dollars spent than highway projects, because they use fewer materials and are more labor intensive. These projects are also generally smaller and quicker to build—ensuring that our state can get funding out the door rapidly and in a way that benefits local engineering and construction firms, as well as communities.

In addition, I request that DC give priority to highway and road projects that create “complete streets,” which ensure that all users—whether walking, bicycling, taking public transportation, or driving—are accommodated.

Bicycle, pedestrian, and complete streets projects turn streets and downtowns into destinations for shopping and entertainment, which help local businesses and the “Main Street” economy. Families that can walk and bicycle to school, work, shopping, and transit also have an easier time meeting their bottom-line transportation costs. These projects also lay an important foundation to address some of our state’s major crises—including physical inactivity and obesity, energy and oil dependence, and greenhouse gas emissions.

I look forward to hearing back from you on this important matter.

Sincerely,

**Your Name**

CC:  Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton

        Gabe Klein, Director, DC Department of Transportation

        Councilmember Jim Graham

        Councilmember Tommy Wells

        Councilmember Kwame Brown

        Councilmember Muriel Bowser

        Councilmember Phil Mendelson