I sent this to my U.S. Senators & Representative as part of the League of American Bicyclists action campaign:
I understand that the Senate version of the economic stimulus package does not include the provisions for transportation infrastructure funding of bicycle and pedestrian projects. As your constituent, I ask you to urge members of the conference committee to include funding for bicycle, pedestrian, and other worthy active and multi-modal transportation projects into the final version the stimulus bill.
My regular bicycle commute to work is made possible by dedicated bicycle trails. While I support the use of stimulus funds to repair and improve existing roads, bridges, and highways, I believe that going forward, our new investments should heavily favor making viable for more Americans healthier, less polluting, and more energy-efficient transportation. We must increase investments in alternatives to our current automobile-centric system and its associated problems of greenhouse gas and other pollution, traffic congestion, suburban sprawl, and dependence upon foreign oil. To do otherwise by simply throwing money at traditional automobile-centric transportation projects may provide short-term benefit, but wastes the opportunity to direct future growth in a healthier and more sustainable direction.
Thankfully, we do not have to sacrifice our short-term economic recovery for our long-term best interests. The America Bikes Coalition has presented a list of hundreds of ready-to-go active transportation projects from communities across the country to the House leadership, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the House Appropriations Committee, making funding for this category of transportation infrastructure just the kind of high-impact, job-producing projects we need now, while also serving the long-term best interest of the country.
Thank you for urging inclusion of bicycle, pedestrian, & other efficient multi-modal transportation infrastructure in the economic stimulus package.