Transportation Leaders Ask Congress to Fast-Track Transit and Active Transportation Investments

on May 13, 2020 at 5:21 pm

Transportation, bicycle and pedestrian safety groups across the country banded together this week to encourage Congress to fast-track transit and active transportation projects amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendations, sent in a letter to congressional leadership, call for several investments that parallel BWCF’s core mission, and empower cities to provide safe, equitable and healthy transportation options during the pandemic and beyond.

The recommendations call for:

Renewed investment in public transit to keep transit agencies afloat
Continued investment in bicycle and pedestrian facilities, such as bike lanes and enhanced crosswalks, through the Surface Transportation Block Grant and Transportation Alternatives programs
The leveling of several procedural hurdles that have historically slowed these sorts of projects
Focusing on innovative solutions in transportation to help cities incentivize sustainable transportation options as the public begins to return to work. These include investments in bike-sharing as an additional option to public transit and subsidization of transit passes for low-income individuals during the recovery

The organizations signing the letter were:

League of American Bicyclists
America Walks
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP)
BCycle LLC
Lyft
North American Bikeshare Association
National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
NUMO
PeopleForBikes
Safe Routes Partnership
Shared-Use Mobility Center
Transport Workers Union of America
Transportation for America

The coalition also acknowledged in the letter that all these programs will only achieve their full potential if our cities’ current public mass transit systems remain robust, accessible and operational. They urged Congress to pass additional funding for transit operations to protect our nations’ transit agencies during COVID-19.

Yesterday, Democrats in the House of Representatives proposed a new COVID-19 relief bill that only includes $15 billion in emergency operating support for public transportation.

In response, Transportation for America said on their website, “That’s a start, but not enough to ensure that transit agencies can keep their workers healthy and safely return to service when this pandemic subsides. We know that transit needs more.”

They are encouraging citizens to “tell Congress that $32 billion in emergency operating support for transit must be included in the next relief package. Transit is essential; this support cannot wait.” They asking Americans to submit a message requesting $32 billion in emergency transit support to your Senators and Representatives through their website here.

Send a Message of Support

If you want to send a personal message supporting these recommendations, use these sites to contact your Representatives and Senators. You can use language from the coalition’s letter below.