Help Save US Federal Funding for Bicycles

[OakLeaf]

You must still be idealistic if you're writing so many letters.

I did write my rep in Congress about this one. He's on the Transportation Committee. Guess which way he voted. Just yesterday in his district, near my hometown, a 13-year-old boy was hit and dragged by a truck and critically injured while riding to school. It's a terrible road to ride on, but there's no good way to get from one place to another without using it.

I'll be writing my senators too... [believe it or not, without emoticons or ellipses... ]

[Melalvai]

Safe Route to School, and Transportation Enhancements are now in the Senate bill!!

But Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is not. However RTP is in the House bill. It's about the only worthwhile thing that is in the House bill.

Interesting fact I learned recently about RTP. Every politician sees that word "recreational" and thinks "here's something we can cut and look good doing it!" But RTP is paid for by gas taxes that are paid specifically by off-road vehicles. It's hard to justify using these gas taxes on highways because snow mobiles and ATVs aren't used on highways. (They are transported in trucks so their owners are definitely paying gas taxes that are used on highways as well.)

Here's something that is really troubling me. The League of American Bicyclists did a great job on the letter campaign for the Cardin-Cochran Amendment (SRTS and TE). They didn't mention the Klobuchar Amendment (RTP). When I asked, they said they have to focus their attention & resources. Ok, I can see that, let the Trails Coalition handle RTP and the League tackles SRTS & TE. (Note: American Trails' letter for their letter writing campaign included BOTH amendments.)

BUT, the latest League blog post claims that the Senate bill now has SRTS, TE, and RTP. I just got a letter from the Trails Coalition that RTP is not in the Senate bill despite what we may have heard.

I'm very unhappy with the League for misleading us on RTP, and coming right after the blatant omission of the Klobuchar Amendment in their letter-writing campaign, when it would have been simple to include it, it looks bad. Is this a bike path vs bike lane vs vehicular cycling ideological thing? Infighting can bring a cause down when attacks from the outside just make it stronger.