RTC TrailBlog : congress

Senate Amendment For Trails Attracts Republican Cosponsor

Jake Lynch — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:51:00 GMT

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) policy staff have been working hard on Capitol Hill these past few weeks to ensure the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate pass transportation bills that protect dedicated funding for trails, walking and biking. It's been a wild few days.

As the respective bills take shape, here's the latest, as of Thursday morning:

In the Senate, RTC has taken a leadership position among a broad coalition of groups promoting two bipartisan amendments to the current Senate bill (officially titled S. 1813, "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century" or MAP-21) that would restore dedicated funding for trails and active transportation through Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and the Recreational Trails Program.

U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) have introduced an amendment (#1549) that would ensure local communities have a fair shot at dedicating funds for trails, walking and bicycling.

RTC received word late yesterday that Senator Amy Klobuchar's (D-Minn.) amendment to restore the Recreational Trails Program has attracted a Republican cosponsor, meaning the amendment will have bipartisan support. RTC hopes to be able to announce that cosponsor later today or tomorrow.

Please support these amendments by filling out this quick and simple email form.

A vote on the House transportation bill (H.R. 7) has been delayed until after next week's Presidents Day recess, a sign that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) feels he does not have the necessary votes to pass the bill, which has been widely criticized for its drastic reduction or elimination of funding for trails, biking, walking and transit. The White House issued a statement yesterday saying that President Obama would veto this legislation in the unlikely event that it passes a House vote.

House Republican leaders have indicated they will seek to dismantle H.R. 7 and submit its individual elements to the floor for separate discussion.

Stay tuned to RTC's TrailBlog for the latest news from Capitol Hill on the passage of this critical legislation.

House Leaders Respond to Massive Opposition to Transportation Bill

Jake Lynch — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:30:00 GMT

In a sign that the American Energy and Infrastructure Act (H.R. 7) may lack support to pass the House as it is currently presented, House Republican leaders announced yesterday afternoon they would dismantle H.R. 7 and submit its individual elements to the floor for separate discussion.

With a single-minded focus on roads, the House's transportation bill would eliminate dedicated funding for trails, walking and bicycling infrastructure, the Safe Routes to Schools program, and even transit after a limited grace period. H.R. 7 was instantly unpopular across the political spectrum and provoked an unprecedented backlash from the public, industry professionals and transportation advocates, including Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC).

Breaking the news at just after 1 p.m. Tuesday, Bloomberg BNA said the "reversal could be an indication that Republicans lack the votes in their own caucus to pass the full package."

According to Bloomberg, "House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.), however, characterized the dissection as a change from 'the era of quickly moving massive bills across the floor without proper examination.'"

Kevin Mills, RTC's vice president of policy and trail development, says the House's realization of the extent of opposition to the bill should be tremendously heartening for all the groups and individuals who had emailed and called representatives to express their dismay.

However, Mills says it is vitally important that supporters of trails, biking and walking infrastructure continue to make themselves heard in the Senate, as it also considers a bill that would hobble the popular Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and Recreational Trails programs.

"Now that we have collectively forced proper scrutiny of misguided transportation legislation in the House, we need to turn our attention to the Senate," says Mills. "While the Senate bill as it passed committee is also deeply flawed from the standpoint of trails, bicycling and walking, Senate floor amendments could potentially repair the integrity of our core programs and thereby craft a positive alternative to the unworkable House bill."

RTC is urging all its friends and allies to support two amendments to the Senate bill.

Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) have introduced an amendment (Amdt. #1549) that would ensure communities a fair shot at dedicating funding for trails, walking and bicycling.

Senator Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will introduce an amendment that would restore the Recreational Trails Program.

Take just a few moments to complete this automated email form and tell your Senators that trails, walking and biking are an important part of America's future.

Florida County Continues to Pursue its Trails Future

Jake Lynch — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:41:00 GMT

A major county in Florida is being heralded for a new study that not only outlines cost-effective strategies for building new trails and greenways, but also quantifies the environmental, economic and social benefits of such facilities.

The Miami-Dade County Trail Design Guidelines and Benefits Study received an award of honor from the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (FLASLA) in the category of Planning and Analysis, following up on similar recognition in recent months by the American Planning Association (APA) Florida Gold Coast Section for best plan, report or study, and a national finalist in the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) professional design awards.

The study was developed by prime consultant, AECOM, as a comprehensive reference for trail, greenway and linear park design and planning. Innovative urban trail guidelines were paired with in-depth analyses that provide direct environmental, economic and social benefits estimates. The study includes extensive research and analysis of best practices and successful comparable urban trails while providing extensive methodology to estimate direct benefits in order to prioritize limited resources.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Florida State Director Ken Bryan was part of the team that helped author the award-winning plan, using his extensive experience with rail-trail development to provide insight on how best to acquire rights-of-way and appropriate corridors for recreational pathways.

One of the features of the study was its establishment of a methodology to analyze the benefits of trails such as vehicle trip reduction, increase in accessibility, reduction in pollution, effects on property values and job creation.

"This recognition is a validation of our tireless efforts to provide quality trails and greenways throughout Miami-Dade County," says Miami-Dade Parks Director Jack Kardys.

In recent years Miami-Dade has actively pursued its stated Greenways, Trails and Water Trails Vision, "for an interconnected system that provides transportation alternatives and reduces traffic congestion; creates new recreational opportunities; increases property values; protects natural resources; and encourages tourism and business development."

A highlight of the regional trail system will be the developing Biscayne Everglades Trail, comprised of 49 miles of greenways and multi-purpose paths. It will be the only trail in the United States that connects two National Parks, and it also travels through local residential and commercial neighborhoods, increasing opportunities for tourists and residents alike. In coming years Miami-Dade County has also set itself the ambitious goal of establishing a 1- to 5-mile-wide corridor of conservation and recreation land along the county's western edge, buffering the Florida Everglades.

Miami-Dade County's belief that a strong trails network is integral to the economic future of the region is a vision shared by many cities and counties across Florida, as evident by the growing opposition from Florida elected officials to Congressman John Mica's plan to eliminate dedicated federal funding for trails, bike paths and sidewalks.

Download the report, and for more information about Miami-Dade County's vision for its trails future, visit www.miamidade.gov/parksmasterplan/trails.

Artist rendering of Ludlam Trail courtesy of Miami-Dade County Park & Recreation Department.

Past, Present and Future: A Florida Policy Update

Ken Bryan (RTC) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:26:00 GMT

Many of you were aware of the recent effort to again gut the Florida Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT) this state legislative session. Initial efforts aimed to eliminate 16 Tallahassee positions and merge the trail operations with that of the Florida Parks Service. After a hard-fought session and many tough conversations, we can report that OGT will remain an office, it will keep its own identity and the nine state trails will continue to be managed by the same team that has set the high bar we have come to expect.

We will, however, lose several vacant positions as well as several valued members to the OGT team. But considering where the conversation started at the beginning of the 2011 session, this result is something to be proud of, and know that Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) will be well prepared to protect the program again next year. Kudos to the Department of Environmental Protection, Deputy Secretary Ballard and Park Service Director Forgione for their handling of a tough situation and for results that out-preformed initial expectations.

In the present, all eyes are looking to Florida. U.S. Representative John Mica of Florida's 7th District chairs the powerful House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He is considering allowing states to eliminate the federal set-aside that invests in trails, walking and bicycling. This proposal would include the Safe Routes to Schools and Recreational Trails programs, as well as the Transportation Enhancements program--the nation's largest funding source for trails, walking and bicycling.

Please tell Rep. Mica his proposal is a bad idea. For the innumerable economic, health and environmental benefits of more active transportation, now is absolutely the wrong time to be jeopardizing these crucial programs. Send him a note that eliminating the set-aside is not acceptable!

Looking to the future, there is another opportunity to make lemonade from lemons with the Florida Communities Trust (FCT). FCT will be transferred to the Department of Environmental Protection from the Department of Communities Affairs (DCA). When the program transitioned from Preservation 2000 to Florida Forever many years ago, the legislature saw the need for increasing funding for trail systems and passed into law language that required no less than 5 percent of the monies deposited into the trust to be used to acquire lands for trail systems. The intent was to start encouraging connections between neighborhoods, schools, places of business and to other parks and trails. However, DCA passed a dreadful rule that relegated this great accomplishment to mere points on an application. With the transfer to DEP and the return of such leaders as Senator Latvala, it is hoped that this regrettable rule will be corrected and the original spirit of the law honored.

Photo: Rep. Mica speaks at a hearing in Maitland, Fla.

Rep. Mica Follows AAA's Lead, Proposes to Eliminate Funding for Active Transportation

Keith Laughlin (RTC) — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:31:00 GMT

With gas prices over $4 per gallon, the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives is proposing to eliminate the most cost-effective federal program to provide Americans alternatives to driving. According to a story in the Orlando Sentinel, Rep. John Mica (Fla.) wants to give state highway departments the authority to eliminate federal investment in trails, biking and walking so they can spend every dime of surface transportation funding on roads.

This is the second salvo in a growing attack on active transportation. The first came last fall when AAA proposed to eliminate all federal support for active transportation from the federal transportation trust fund. In response, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy launched a national campaign that delivered more than 50,000 signatures to AAA national headquarters in Florida in December. And 33,000 of those signatures were AAA members!

At a time of soaring gas prices and shrinking budgets, it’s simple common sense that we focus investment in transportation options that produce the biggest bang for the buck. For example, in December we held a press conference on a 14-mile trail--funded with federal transportation dollars--that ran right along the front yard of AAA headquarters in Florida. Parallel to the trail was a four-lane road. I asked our staff to compare the costs to build that trail and that road. What we found surprised even me. For the cost of that entire 14-mile trail, you could only build 250 yards of new four-lane road.

So if federal funding is tight and gas prices are escalating, what would you rather have? A 14 mile trail that connects communities and provides a cost-effective corridor for commuting and recreation? Or 250 yards of new road that connects absolutely nothing and doesn’t help you avoid high gas prices?

It’s time to get smarter about how we build our transportation infrastructure and move away from an outdated approach to transportation investment that can be best characterized as, "Drive, Baby, Drive!"

With the continued support of our members and supporters, I assure you that Rails-to-Trails Conservancy will continue to lead the fight to protect funding that has permitted us to work with our local partners to build 20,000 miles of trail during the last 25 years.

Please stay tuned.

PS – Click on the Orlando Sentinel story to vote "NO" on the poll on the left side of the page and leave a comment to show your support for trails, biking and walking.

Webinar: Promoting Equity in the Next Federal Transportation Bill

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:48:00 GMT

As the White House and Congress jumpstart a dialogue about the next federal surface transportation bill, the Equity Caucus at Transportation for America invites you to join them on Friday, March 18, from 1 to 2 p.m. EST for a webinar focused on how we can expand mobility and opportunity for all Americans, including low-income populations and communities of color, through smart and equitable transportation investments.

The Bus to the Capitol: Promoting Equity in the Next Federal Transportation Bill will feature:

Roy Kienitz, Undersecretary of Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
Wade Henderson, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
James Corless, Director, Transportation for America
Radhika Fox, Federal Policy Director, PolicyLink (Moderator)

Join the webinar to:

Hear about the Obama Administration’s blueprint for the transportation bill
Get an update on Congressional activity on transportation
Learn how to get engaged in advocacy for a transportation bill that creates strong, healthy communities of opportunity

We hope you’ll join us. Register today!

Also, please stay tuned for future webinars hosted by the Equity Caucus at Transportation for America.

The Equity Caucus at Transportation for America--formed by the nation’s leading civil rights, community development, racial justice, economic justice, faith-based, health, housing, labor, environmental justice, tribal, public interest, women’s and transportation organizations--drives transportation policies that advance economic and social equity in America. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a member of the Equity Caucus.

What Do Americans Think About Transportation Funding?

Steve Schweigerdt (RTC) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:34:00 GMT

Bringing up tax hikes or new taxes in the current political climate is a scary prospect. Nevertheless, a panel of transportation experts brought together by the Commonwealth Club did just that as they investigated what's possible in the current anti-tax climate. Dr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal of Mineta Transportation Institute presented the results of the institute's latest nationwide opinion survey, which analyzed public support for options to increase the gas tax or institute a mileage tax to fill the gap in transportation funding. The panel also included William Millar of American Public Transportation Association, John Horsley of AASHTO and California state Sen. Alan Lowenthal.

A couple key points from the survey were that:

Linking transportation tax to environmental benefits will increase support, specifically if the tax helps address global warming.
Support for gas taxes can be significantly increased with good program design.

According to the panelists, the most successful measures have been local voter initiatives where the benefits of the funding are easily understood. Seventy-three percent of these local measures, including transit measures, have passed since 2000, and 67 percent of the survey respondents said that maintaining current infrastructure is a priority.

The panelists portrayed the gas tax increase as a needed short-term fix, but a restructuring of transportation financing is necessary for long-term investment in the system. William Millar reminded the audience that we shouldn't assume that the way things are can never change. We spent the last 60 years building the system we have, he said, and we can spend the next 60 building a better system.

It's useful information to keep in mind as we continue to build support for RTC's Campaign for Active Transportation and refocus priorities for the precious funding available.

Carbon Fees Shouldn't Undermine a Clean Transportation System

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:41:00 GMT

As work continues on climate change legislation in the Senate, debate has arisen over how to use funds generated by a carbon fee on transportation fuels. RTC partner Transportation for America issued a letter calling for "additional policies to direct those funds toward transportation projects that advance our climate and energy goals." RTC President Keith Laughlin weighs in at National Journal's Transportation Experts Blog:

Would anyone seriously argue that federal taxes on tobacco should be used to subsidize tobacco production or encourage smoking? Of course not. And the same principle applies here: fees levied to achieve a specific public policy outcome should only be reinvested in a manner that further supports – not undermines – that policy outcome. As a result, such funds should not be used for any purpose that cannot demonstrate significant reductions in greenhouse gases.

Such performance measures would likely support investments in new technologies to better manage travel demand on existing roads or enhancing mobility by encouraging low carbon alternatives to driving, such as walking, biking, transit and rail.

Groundbreaking ACTion on Active Transportation in Congress

Todd Christopher (RTC) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:56:00 GMT

New Legislation Will Build Healthy, Clean, Cost-Effective Transportation Options

Washington, D.C., March 2, 2010 — Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Campaign for Active Transportation celebrated a milestone today with the release of Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s (D-Ore.) Active Community Transportation (ACT) Act of 2010 [H.R. 4722].

This landmark legislation promises to launch a new era of investment in building complete systems of facilities that make it safe and convenient for Americans to choose to walk or bicycle instead of drive for routine, short trips. The ACT Act creates a competitive fund to which communities can apply and receive funding to build these active transportation systems. In the process, tens of thousands of jobs in construction and small businesses will be created, invigorating local economies, while also saving Americans money at the pump.

“This is possibly the most important legislation to come down in the last 20 years for those who value trails, walking and biking, and we applaud the visionary leadership Representative Blumenauer and his colleagues have shown through the creation of this bill,” says Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) President Keith Laughlin. “In 2007, when we launched our Campaign for Active Transportation at RTC’s Portland conference, we knew it would take a focused, smart investment plan to make active transportation systems commonplace. The ACT Act is that plan, and we’ve never been more ready.”

ACT Act Findings
Americans are hungry for safe and convenient opportunities to walk or bicycle to work, school, shops, transit and other daily destinations. Respondents in a national poll said they would spend 15 times current levels on walking and bicycling (currently, less than two percent of all transportation dollars) at the expense of what they view as lopsided spending on roads. ACT Act states that:

Nearly half of the trips taken in the United States today are within a 20-minute bicycle ride, and half of those trips are within a 20-minute walk;
Further, 90 percent of transit trips begin with walking or bicycling;
There is huge potential for an increased role for active transportation to these nearby destinations, and;
The ACT Act is can maximize mode shift by providing “intensive, concentrated funding of active transportation systems rather than discrete piecemeal projects.”

“Everywhere we go, communities are eager to pull the pieces of their active transportation systems together so the public can safely walk and bike,” says RTC Vice President of Policy Kevin Mills. “It is essential that we give Americans the means to achieve their dreams of livable communities by offering healthy, clean, affordable and enjoyable ways to get around. The ACT Act provides the missing piece of our transportation puzzle; ironically, we have left the simplest and most cost-effective investment for last.”

RTC and the ACT Act
RTC has been the lead advocate behind the creation of this bill, organizing more than 50 communities around the country, and soliciting case statements from these communities that detail how, if the funding were available, they would create active transportation systems in their area. Most of these communities have been engaged for years, committing local resources to their organizing and planning efforts, earning support from mayors, city and county councils, advocacy and business leaders. Additionally, a national letter of support has been signed by representatives from more than 300 national, regional and local groups and more than 30 mayors and other elected officials.

The introduction of this bill, which would be a part of the larger transportation reauthorization, represents opportunity knocking. Current original co-sponsors of the bill include Representatives Capuano (Mass.), Carnahan (Mo.), Cohen (Tenn.), Filner (Calif.), Lipinski (Ill.) and Moran (Va.).

Take ACTion
RTC is calling on its supporters and coalition members to contact their members of Congress and encourage them to become co-sponsors of the ACT Act.

For more information on RTC and the ACT Act, visit www.railstotrails.org/act.

RTC's Active Transportation for America featured by IssueLab

Todd Christopher (RTC) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:54:00 GMT

IssueLab, the website that archives and shares research by nonprofit organizations on a number of social issues, has recently featured the work of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC).

RTC's report, Active Transportation for America, appears in the special feature "Pedaling and Walking: An IssueLab Closeup," a collection of reports, whitepapers and policy briefs on improving access and infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. The report makes the case and quantifies the benefits—for the first time—that increased federal funding in bicycling and walking infrastructure would provide to all Americans.

This is a critical time for RTC's Campaign for Active Transportation, with the Active Community Transportation Act of 2010—authored by U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer—soon to be introduced on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Learn more, and find out how you can help, at:

Active Community Transportation Act of 2010

Image provided under a CC BY-NC 2.0 license.

Take action: Speak up for Clean Transportation in the Climate Bill

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:37:00 GMT

The Clean Low-Emissions Affordable New Transportation Equity Act (CLEAN-TEA), S. 575, would save Americans money and fund clean transportation alternatives to driving. The bill would set aside 10 percent of the revenue from any climate bill that Congress passes to create a more efficient transportation system through strategies that include more walking and bicycling.

If Congress passes a climate bill that does not adequately fund clean transportation options, we will have missed a crucial opportunity. Cars and light trucks emit about 20 percent of the greenhouse gases generated in the U.S. each year. Unfortunately, however, the current U.S. House bill steers a meager one percent of climate revenue to clean transportation.

And finally, the cost savings: just the health care and fuel savings from investing in active transportation result in more than $1,500 in benefits nationally for every ton of emitted CO2 reduced, with tens of millions of reduced tons expected annually. So, the greater the investment, the bigger the return in health care and fuel savings.

Take action now by using our action alert to send a message to your senators. NOTE: California residents - please take this action alert instead to send a direct message to Sen. Barbara Boxer.

URGENT ALERT: Speak up for Trails, Walking and Biking Now

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:50:00 GMT

UPDATE: Amendments are Defeated!

Thank you to everyone for your calls to your senators' offices speaking up against the two amendments below. Please stay tuned for a more detailed analysis and follow-up. Read below for background on the alert.

If you are not on Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's free e-mail list, RTC Online, please sign up now.

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On Tuesday, September 15, Senators John McCain (Ariz.) and Tom Coburn (Okla.) issued two amendments to the FY10 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. If passed, these amendments would eliminate the majority of available federal funds for trails, walking and bicycling.

Amendment 2370 would prohibit the use of federal funds for pedestrian or bicycle facilities, efforts to reduce vehicle collisions with wildlife, or other specified Transportation Enhancement (TE) projects if the Highway Trust Fund cannot cover unfunded highway authorizations.

Amendment 2371 is even trickier; while it claims to allow states to opt out of spending on TE projects, the actual amendment text in fact notes that "None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement" TE projects.

Providing opportunities for Americans to walk, bike and take transit to get where they’re going improves our communities’ health and livability, reduces emissions, creates jobs and save money.

Click here to take action now!

Photo: East Capitol Street bike lanes by Stephen Miller/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

RTC president on why the next transportation bill should help you drive less

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:40:00 GMT

Last week, National Journal's Expert Blog on transportation asked: "Is [reducing vehichle miles traveled] an appropriate goal for federal transportation policy? Is it a practical goal? How might that be accomplished and what might be the consequences?" RTC President Keith Laughlin responded:

Yes. As a matter of policy, reducing per capita VMT should be an essential objective for the next surface transportation bill... Reducing per capita VMT is not forcing people to do something they don’t want to do; rather it is helping them do more of something they are already doing...It is time for investments in walking, biking and public transportation that provide the American people with more transportation choices as they contemplate getting from Point A to Point B. Not only will such a strategy reduce per capita VMT, it will provide the American people the choices that they eagerly want.

National Journal has Laughlin's full response.

RTC makes a visit to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:16:00 GMT

RTC's Florida state office director Ken Bryan was in DC recently and spoke with Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen's staff caught up with Ken outside her office. Miami-Dade County is one of many communities around the nation engaged in RTC's 2010 Campaign for Active Transportation; you can read Miami-Dade's case statement (or find the one from your city) supporting increased funding for bicycle, pedestrian and trail infrastructure in the next federal transportation bill.