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Transportation Issues
Congress is working on the next version of the surface transportation bill, which includes funding and policies affecting a wide variety of transportation modes and projects. In addition to advocating for the federal Safe Routes to School program, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership also works with coalitions and partner organizations to support other transportation policies and programs that can help create a supportive environment for Safe Routes to School and help build a sustainable transportation system.
Key partners in this effort include America Bikes, National Complete Streets Coalition, and Transportation for America. Together, we are working to see that the next surface transportation bill includes:
• Increased funding for bicycling and walking, including the Transportation Enhancements program and Safe Routes to School;
• Requirements that jurisdictions pass Complete Streets policies that ensure that the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and people of all ages and abilities are addressed in future road improvements;
• Performance outcomes for transportation projects that include the impact on the health of people and communities;
• A more cohesive transportation system with greater accessibility and mobility for all Americans that allows for greener and healthier transportation choices.
Latest News and Information:
Senate Committee working on draft transportation bill
June 8, 2010
There is movement again on the next transportation bill. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has started working behind the scenes on drafting a new surface transportation bill. While the bill will likely not be written and released for review until later this summer, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership is continuing to talk with the committee staff about our requests to strengthen and expand the Safe Routes to School program. Over the next month, we will be working with our Senate champions to continue to express their support for Safe Routes to School.
Groups thank DOT, HHS and CDC for their leadership on bicycling and walking
June 8, 2010
Thanks to all the national, state and local partners that joined us on letters thanking our federal agency champions for their leadership on livable, sustainable communities:
CDC Issues Recommendations on Transportation Policy
May 3, 2010
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Recommendations for Improving Health through Transportation Policy that demonstrates the impact transportation has on health. One of the recommendations is to provide states with tools to help them evaluate and expand investments in Safe Routes to School, Complete Streets, and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
Hubsmith Testifies on Bike/Ped Safety Before Senate Committee
April 14, 2010
Deb Hubsmith, Director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Safe Routes to School and bicycle and pedestrian safety on April 14, 2010. In her testimony, Hubsmith called attention to the grave disparities between the number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed each year in traffic crashes and the small proportion of funding that is used by states to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety. She highlighted Safe Routes to School, Complete Streets, increasing the use of safety funds for bicycle and pedestrian safety, and improving data collection as ways to address these disparities. Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) asked Hubsmith questions on bicycle and pedestrian safety. The hearing can be viewed on the Senate EPW Committee’s website; Hubsmith’s testimony begins approximately 60 minutes into the video, and the questions follow at the end.
Secretary LaHood Leads the Way for Bicycling and Walking
April 1, 2010
Secretary Ray LaHood of the US Department of Transportation issued a new "Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation." The policy statement recommends that state DOTs and communities treat bicycling and walking as an equal transportation mode, incorporate bike/ped facilities into transportation projects, set mode share targets for bicycling and walking, collect data on bicycling and walking, and more. The Alliance for Bicycling and Walking and the League of American Bicyclists are leading efforts to counteract negative comments from Members of Congress on this policy, and helping advocates craft responses.
Transportation Extension Passes; Senate Focusing on Reauthorization
April 1, 2010
Since our last update, Congress has passed the long-term transportation extension through December 2010, -meaning that the federal Safe Routes to School program will be funded at the FY2009 level of $183 million throughout the remainder of FY2010 and the first quarter of FY2011. The Federal Highway Administration should be issuing the memo within a few weeks that gives states their exact apportionments for all transportation programs. Once the memo has been issued, the Partnership will be working with state and local advocates to ensure that state Departments of Transportation make plans to hold new SRTS grant cycles that will put the newly available funds to good use in schools and communities across the country.
Senator Boxer, chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has also publicly stated that she wants to move forward on the full transportation reauthorization bill this year. The Committee has started holding more hearings, and staff is starting to work on drafting legislation. It is important that advocates continue to contact their Senators to ask for their support of S. 1156, the Safe Routes to School Program Reauthorization Act. Fortunately, we are now up to 22 Senators in support, with Senator Murray (D-WA) the latest addition. In the House, during the National Bike Summit bike advocates were successful in getting 16 new sponsors for H.R. 4021, the Safe Routes to High Schools Act, bringing the total supporters to 39 Representatives.
Long-term transportation extension on tap
March 8, 2010
A great deal of back-and-forth has been happening on the transportation and jobs bills since our last update. The last week of February, the Senate moved forward on its jobs bill, a much smaller and more focused bill. It includes a long-term extension for SAFETEA-LU until December 31, 2010 but does not include any new stimulus funding for surface transportation. Due to procedural hurdles, the House and Senate were not able to agree on the final jobs bill (including the transportation extension) before the end of February, so SAFETEA-LU actually expired for two days. Congress has since passed another short-term extension allowing SAFETEA-LU to continue through March. The House has also just passed a slightly tweaked version of the Senate jobs bill. At this point, the Senate must vote one final time on the jobs bill before it can be signed into law. Once that happens, SAFETEA-LU will be operating under the long-term extension. The federal Safe Routes to School program (and all other SAFETEA-LU programs) will be funded throughout the remainder of FY2010 and the first quarter of FY2011 at the FY2009 funding level.
It is also expected that within a few weeks, Congress will pass language that will allow Safe Routes to School and several other transportation programs to receive an allocation of additional “bonus formula funds” which could increase funding for Safe Routes to School by another 7 to 10 percent for FY2010. Finally, the Senate will likely move forward on other larger jobs bills in the coming weeks and months, and there is still talk that one of these bills will include additional funding for transportation, similar to last year’s stimulus funding.
Active Community Transportation Act Introduced
March 2, 2010
Rep. Blumenauer (D-OR) has introduced H.R. 4722, the Active Community Transportation Act (the ACT Act). The legislation would create a $2 billion competitive grant program to help communities build networks of bicycling and walking infrastructure. H.R. 4722 would allow communities to access multi-year, large grants to build complete bicycle and pedestrian facilities that connect homes to jobs, schools, recreation, and shops. The Safe Routes to School National Partnership has endorsed the ACT Act, as it presents an exciting opportunity to make bicycling and walking to schools, work and other destinations safer and more viable. To take action on this bill, please visit the Rails-to-Trails action alert page to take action!
Transportation bill in a holding pattern; jobs bill under discussion
February 3, 2010
Since Senate Democrats no longer hold a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority, bills that are controversial or require the outlay of significant new funding—like the transportation and climate bills—are more difficult to pass. Senate leaders have started negotiations on their jobs package. The Senate may work on several jobs bills, and it looks like funding for transportation (including Transportation Enhancements) will be included, but at a lower level than the House-passed jobs bill. It is possible that infrastructure funding could be held back for a future bill. In the meantime, the U.S. Department of Transportation continues to hold listening sessions around the country to discuss the future of the transportation bill. Network organizers in Louisiana and Minnesota attended the first two listening sessions to discuss the importance of the federal Safe Routes to School program for safety and livability.
Congress passes transportation extension
January 7, 2010
Before adjourning for the holidays, Congress passed an extension to the current SAFETEA-LU transportation bill, which allows transportation funds to continue to flow until February 28, 2010. All existing programs, including Safe Routes to School, will continue to be funded at their FY2009 levels through the end of February. The House also included a provision in other legislation (the jobs bill) to extend SAFETEA-LU until September 30, 2010—if the Senate concurs, action on the transportation bill would slip until late this year or next year.
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