PRESS RELEASE/EDITORIAL: Bicycling and Walking are Important to our Nation's Future

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Brent Hugh
Executive Director, Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation
816-695-6736, director@mobikefed.org

Bicycling and Walking are Important to our Nation's Future

Last week the Senate passed its version of the federal transportation bill, MAP-21. Now it's the House's turn to take up the legislation.

Federal transportation policy--that sounds like something that so boring and far-off.  But these are the policies that build--or destroy--our communities and our neighborhoods.  

That's why I am joining a delegation of Missourians in Washington, DC, this week to talk to our members of Congress about the transportation bill.  We come from all parts of the state and represent many different organizations.  But we all have a passion for making our communities vibrant, healthy, and more livable by making them more walkable and bikable.

Walkable and bikable!? you say. What has that got to do with the federal transportation bill?

Let me explain:

Bicycling and Walking: The Challenge of the 21st Century

The challenge of the 20th Century was building a complete, connected network of paved roads for automobiles. It cost trillions of dollars and took decades, but that job is now complete.

Nationwide, bicycling and walking make up 12% of trips and 14% of fatalities but receive only 1.6% of funding. 

So right now, the federal government--and most city and state governments--spend far less on bicycling and walking than our fair share.  That is not fair to those of us who walk and bicycle--the vast majority of Americans--and it is not the right approach for health or for safety.

Bicycling and Walking are Inexpensive and Cost-Effective
Building for bicycle and pedestrian transportation is very inexpensive and delivers tremendous bang for the buck in the form of community livability, health, and safety benefits.  All bicycle and pedestrian programs together make up only 0.029% of the federal budget--and have huge positive impact in our communities' health, livability, and economy.

For the price of one freeway interchange, we can put bicycle routes around an entire city, or build hundreds of miles of much-needed sidewalks and crosswalks.

Bicycling and Walking are a 21st Century Megatrend
After a century of continuous, uninterrupted growth, the amount of vehicle miles driven in the U.S. has leveled off over the past decade.  

By contrast, the number of bicycle commuters in Missouri dwindled and stagnated throughout the 20th Century--but has nearly tripled since the turn of the 21st Century.  

The amount of walking in Missouri is also increasing.  And all this is part of a nationwide trend, with bicycling and walking increasing steadily nationwide, while the amount of driving remains level.