Congress

By now, you’ve likely heard that the new transportation bill, MAP-21, consolidated bicycling and walking programs into a new program called Transportation Alternatives, and that overall funding was cut by approximately 30 percent. However, the details vary quite a bit state by state.

I have been thinking a lot about how we can ensure Safe Routes to School, walking and bicycling can continue to flourish around the country in our new “MAP-21” world without dedicated funding. So I’ve pulled together a “top 10” list for how Safe Routes to School can survive and thrive.

This week, Congress is voting on a new two-year transportation bill, called MAP-21, that will make significant changes to federal transportation policy that negatively impact bicycling and walking programs.  Please see our joint statement with the America Bikes coalition for information on the

The state of play on the transportation bill seems to change daily, if not hourly, here in Washington, DC.  Last week, negotiations between the House and Senate broke down and it seemed that a transportation extension was likely. 

Deja Vu: House Aims to Eliminate Local Funds for Safe Routes
Act Now to Save Safe Routes to School, Bicycling and Walking Funds
 
It’s come down to a fight for local control.  Negotiations on the federal transportation bill are at a critical point and twenty years of gains on bicycling, walking and Safe Routes to School are at risk.
 

After several weeks of reports that Congressional conferees on the transportation bill were making progress, last week saw a flurry of news stories in the Capitol Hill trade press that negotiations are on the rocks. House Republicans from the Transpor

Both the House and Senate have decided to get down to business on a transportation bill.

On April 18, we saw another unusual vote in Congress on the transportation bill. While current transportation spending is already extended until June 30, the House has just passed another extension (H.R. 4348) until September 30 on a vote of 293-127.