Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Primary Contact:
Karl Rohde
Government Relations and Public Affairs Director
(503) 226-0676 x12
(503) 866-8222
karl@bta4bikes.org

BTA OPPOSES PROPOSED BICYCLE REGISTRATION BILL

March 9, 2009 - The Bicycle Transportation Alliance opposes bicycle registration and other
annual fees on bicycle ownership because:
• The net revenue realized would not contribute significantly to the construction and
maintenance of roads and the ancillary facilities necessary for complete streets,
• The cost of registration would discourage bicycling – a clean, healthy and sustainable
transportation alternative, and
• Bicyclists already pay more than their share of road costs through other taxes.
Past efforts to require bicycle registration and the experience of other communities have
demonstrated that the net proceeds, after deducting the administrative costs, of bicycle
registration programs are minimal. Discussions of these proposals during prior legislative
sessions have demonstrated that bicycle registration is not a viable method for funding
transportation facilities. Most other states and communities with registration programs have
discontinued them for this reason.
Bicycling provides a clean, healthy and sustainable alternative mode of transportation. The costs
of providing facilities to accommodate and encourage bicycling are minimal in comparison to
the value derived by reducing the impacts of our present reliance on motor vehicles for
transportation. Rather than discouraging bicycling by requiring cyclists to pay even more of the
costs imposed by motor vehicle operation, policy makers should be exploring ways to make
bicycling safer, more convenient, and accessible for all citizens.
Many proponents of bicycle registration hold the erroneous perception that motor vehicle
operators pay the costs of their use of the transportation system through gas taxes and that
bicyclists do not pay their fair share of road construction and maintenance costs. In fact, the gas
taxes paid by motorists are not sufficient to pay these costs. Property taxes and a variety of other
fees that are levied without respect to the mode of transportation used by the taxpayer provide
the balance of the road construction and maintenance funds. Bicyclists actually contribute more
through these fees than the costs attributable to their use of the transportation system.
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance is a statewide non-profit organization that works to open
minds and roads to bicycling. We represent bicyclists and the bicycle industry with over 5000
members in Oregon and SW Washington, and have seventeen years of experience in bicycle
engineering, planning, education and advocacy.
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