Ask Congress to protect funding for biking and walking

An overwhelming majority of Americans support federal funding for biking and walking. So should Congress. Take Action!

Paul Kreuger

Just two months ago, the Senate passed a transportation bill that included the Cardin-Cochran agreement. This bipartisan compromise would ensure that local governments and school systems are able to access much-needed funds to make bicycling and walking safer and more accessible.

Funding for biking and walking has popular support—a recent national survey found that 83 percent of Americans support maintaining or increasing federal funds for sidewalks and bike lanes.

Will you tell Congress that Americans support biking and walking funding?

Take Action here.

Right now, as selected Senators and Representatives conference to create a consensus transportation bill, we need to protect the Cardin-Cochran agreement.

The Cardin-Cochran agreement ensures local control over a small portion of funds for biking and walking. The provision devolves decision-making on a small portion of funds from the states to local governments, whose leaders know the transportation needs of their communities best.

Local elected officials across the country want and need federal funding to build sidewalks, bike lanes, and bike paths.

Without the Cardin-Cochran agreement, states could instead choose to direct these limited funds towards building more highway lanes.

Most Americans want to increase or maintain funding for sidewalks and bikeways. The Cardin-Cochran agreement would preserve this critical funding.

Please contact your Senators and Representative to maintain the Cardin-Cochran agreement, which gives local governments a voice in transportation planning. There are sample letters below for conferees and non-conferees.

Take Action here

And thank you for standing up to tell Congress that Americans support funding for biking and walking.

----LETTER TO CONFEREES----

SUBJECT: Please Preserve the Cardin-Cochran Agreement

Dear [[Title]] [[Last_Name]],

I am writing to urge you to support the Cardin-Cochran agreement to Additional Activities in MAP-21, a provision that gives local governments a voice in transportation planning.

As you deliberate to produce a consensus transportation bill, please prioritize giving local elected officials a voice in constructing street features such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways.

A recent Princeton survey showed that an overwhelming majority of Americans—83 percent of a 1,003-person sample—support increasing or maintaining federal funding for sidewalks, bike lanes, and bike paths. Only 13 percent of Americans support decreasing biking and walking funding.

Under MAP-21, funding programs for walking and bicycling are combined into one program called “Additional Activities.” This provision gives local governments the option to access a small percentage of “Additional Activities” funds.

The Cardin-Cochran agreement does the following:

  • Devolves a small portion of federal transportation funds through suballocation and competition to local governments—whose leaders know the transportation needs of their constituents best.
  • Provides flexibility and funding certainty to local planning entities to ensure that a portion of their gas taxes are utilized to address the transportation needs in their communities.

The Cardin-Cochran agreement does not:

  • Change eligibility of projects or funding levels of the “Additional Activities.”
  • Require that federal dollars are spent on bicycling and walking; those decisions will be made by local governments and MPOs in what types of projects they apply for.

As your constituent, I urge you to preserve the Cardin-Cochran agreement in your work on the transportation conference committee.

Thank you for representing me on these important issues.

Sincerely,

[[Name]]

----LETTER TO NON-CONFEREES----

SUBJECT: Please Ask Transportation Conferees to Preserve the Cardin-Cochran Agreement

Dear [[Title]] [[Last_Name]],

I am writing to urge you to ask your colleagues on the transportation conference committee to support the Cardin-Cochran agreement to Additional Activities in MAP-21, a provision that gives local governments a voice in transportation planning.

As your colleagues deliberate to produce a consensus transportation bill, I hope that they will prioritize giving local elected officials a voice in building street features such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways.

A recent Princeton survey showed that an overwhelming majority of Americans—83 percent of a 1,003 person sample—support increasing or maintaining federal funding for sidewalks, bike lanes, and bike paths. Only 13 percent of Americans support decreasing biking and walking funding.

Under MAP-21, funding programs for walking and bicycling are combined into one program called “Additional Activities.” This provision gives local governments the option to access a small percentage of “Additional Activities” funds. 

The Cardin-Cochran agreement does the following:

  • Devolves a small portion of federal transportation funds through suballocation and competition to local governments—whose leaders know the transportation needs of their constituents best.
  • Provides flexibility and funding certainty to local planning entities to ensure that a portion of their gas taxes are utilized to address the transportation needs in their communities.

The Cardin-Cochran agreement does not:

  • Change eligibility of projects or funding levels of the “Additional Activities.”
  • Require that federal dollars are spent on bicycling and walking; those decisions will be made by local governments and MPOs in what types of projects they apply for.

As your constituent, I urge you to ask that your colleagues preserve the Cardin-Cochran agreement on the transportation conference committee.

Thank you for representing me on these important issues.

Sincerely,

[[Name]]