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

Cyclist need to ask elected officials what bike projects are going to be funded with stimulus dollars!

Thanks to your help, Transportation Enhancements funds, a pool of money that funds many bike and pedestrian projects, was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.   This was a big win for bike advocates, but we still need to work hard in ensuring that each state’s available transportation funds are used in part 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.  The Enhancement funds come out to $3.7 million in DC, $12.9 million in Maryland, and $20.8 million in Virginia.

In the months leading up to passage of the economic stimulus bill, many state Departments of Transportation released their lists of proposed projects. WABA submitted a list of bike projects from DC, MD and VA for consideration, but unfortunately, bicycle and pedestrian projects were under-represented on many state lists. In fact, an analysis done by the US Public Interest Research Group found that just 0.3% of the state lists of projects were for bike/ped infrastructure, when bicyclists and pedestrians represent nearly 10% of all trips.

What is Next?

Since states have just 120 days 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.

The State of Virginia has created a special website where you can make recommendations on how the stimulus dollars should be spent.  WABA urges all concerned cyclists to visit the website, www.stimulus.virginia.gov, and request that bike projects be funded and that all projects adhere to complete streets principals.  DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS MARCH 6.   Please see sample letter and list of potential bike projects below.

For the Stimulus WEBsite :

Category: Infrastructure-Transportation

Project Name: Bike Projects in Northern VA

Project Description:

1) Arlington On-Street Bikeways and Bike Parking ($400,000)

2) Arlington Trail System Enhancements ($800,000)

3) N. Glebe Road Pedestrian Improvements ($800,000)

4) Washington Boulevard Trail – Phase 2 ($200,000)

5) Shirlington Road Bike/Ped Bridge ($500,000)

6) Route 110 Trail ($600,000)

7) Four Mile Run Bike and Ped Bridge ($6 million)

8) Holmes Run Greenway Path ($510,000)

9) Arlington Blvd Bikeway Improvements ($200,000)

10) Chambliss Connector Trail ($1 million)

11) Centreville Bikeway ($500,000)

12) Loudoun County Parkway Bike Path ($1 million)

13) Lake Fairfax Park Trail Overhaul ($2.5 million)

14) Metro Bike Parking Improvement Project ($500,000)

Locality: use Control + click to select Arlington, Fairfax and Alexandria

Project Status: Unknown

Required Funding: $13,830,000 (dont use the $ sign)

Start/End Date: Leave blank.

Sample letter to send to Governor Tim Kaine and copy to Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer:

Dear Governor Kaine:

I also request that VA 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.

I am writing to discuss Virginia'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 VA. I encourage you to fund the following projects:

1) Arlington On-Street Bikeways and Bike Parking ($400,000)

2) Arlington Trail System Enhancements ($800,000)

3) N. Glebe Road Pedestrian Improvements ($800,000)

4) Washington Boulevard Trail – Phase 2 ($200,000)

5) Shirlington Road Bike/Ped Bridge ($500,000)

6) Route 110 Trail ($600,000)

7) Four Mile Run Bike and Ped Bridge ($6 million)

8) Holmes Run Greenway Path ($510,000)

9) Arlington Blvd Bikeway Improvements ($200,000)

10) Chambliss Connector Trail ($1 million)

11) Centreville Bikeway ($500,000)

12) Loudoun County Parkway Bike Path ($1 million)

13) Lake Fairfax Park Trail Overhaul ($2.5 million)

14) Metro Bike Parking Improvement Project ($500,00)

I also request that VA 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 VA 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: Pierce Homer, Virginia Secretary of Transportation