On June 29th, Congress will vote on a new transportation bill that reverses years of progress on biking and walking policy and cuts by 60 to 70 percent funding for local safety projects such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes.

“This new transportation bill is bad news for New York’s bicyclists” said Brian Kehoe Executive Director of the New York Bicycling Coalition. “In New York, people are biking more. This new bill ignores current trends and includes drastic and disproportionate cuts to biking and walking. NYBC is determined to meet the challenges posed by this transportation bill and to redouble our efforts to advance safe bicycling throughout New York, including pushing for long-term robust investments in bicycle safe infrastructure. The fight for a bicycle-safe state will continue”

For the past 20 years, a modest portion of federal transportation investments — less than 2 percent of all transportation funding — has been dedicated to biking and walking projects that make streets more accessible for everybody, reduce preventable traffic fatalities, help boost local economic development, and create construction jobs. But, despite an outpouring of support from mayors, county executives, and the American public, the deal negotiated by a small number of Congress members behind closed doors eliminates much of this popular funding.

Click here for the Official Statement from America Bikes                                                      (NYBC coordinates with America Bikes on advocacy efforts)