22 JAN 2004: Support Safe Routes to School--Call your senators!

In early February 2004, the US Senate is scheduled to vote on the new transportation bill. The bill currently contains language creating a national Safe Routes to School program, providing money to communities to ensure children can bike & walk to school safely. But there is a move afoot in the Senate to strip this valuable program from the bill entirely!

Please call both your US Senators today (see contact info below).

Say this: "Please support Safe Routes to School in SAFETEA, S 1072, and fully fund the program at $250 million a year."

The Senate bill calls for only $70 million a year for Safe Routes, while the House bill calls for $250 million a year. S1072, aka "SAFETEA", is the Senate's version of the six year reauthorization of TEA-21, which allocates billions towards various transporation projects. The inclusion of a new Safe Routes to School program is an exciting development, but some who would build only highways are trying to eliminate it. The full Senate is currently scheduled to vote on the bill in the first week of February, so contact your Senators now!

The national advocacy group America Bikes also has a lot of additional information on this subject.

Click for contact info for Senators: MO, KS, IL