Protect threatened bike-ped funding!
NYBC and allied advocates are urging Albany to equitably fund safety for bicyclists and walkers. The broad coalition of transportation advocates known as New Yorkers for Active Transportation (NY4AT) is actively defending funding for crucial bike-ped facilities and programs.
On November 7, NY4AT met with executive administrative staff of the Governor's office. NYBC's Brian Kehoe was joined by Parks & Trails NY, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, AARP and Empire State Future.
With the passage of the new federal transportation law, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), New York State and its metropolitan planning organizations will now decide how to use the funds allocated to the newly created "Transportation Alternatives" (TA) program. The pool of money previously dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian projects, via the Recreational Trails, Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to Schools programs, has been consolidated into this new TA program.
Unfortunately, these funds-which are already a tiny percentage of all federal transportation dollars-shrunk by roughly 33 percent under MAP-21. And states now also have the option of diverting most or all of these funds to non-bicycle-pedestrian projects.