Dear Trails Supporter,
Trails, sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes aren’t luxury items. They’re essential to help people safely get where they need to go—in small towns and large cities alike.
So why are some members of Congress trying to kill the largest federal source of funding for these types of projects?
Take action now! Tell Congress to oppose attacks on the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)!
Reps. Sam Johnson (Tex.) and Vicky Hartzler (Mo.) have introduced a bill (H.R. 2609) that would eliminate TAP—the largest dedicated source of funding for trails, and walking and biking infrastructure in America. TAP helps create trails, crosswalks, sidewalks and bike lanes, helping millions of people safely get where they need to go under their own power.
This legislation could now be offered as an amendment to a transportation funding bill that will be voted on as early as tomorrow!
If TAP is eliminated, communities across the country will lose the funding they need to make wise investments in active-transportation options at a fraction of the cost of car-only transportation infrastructure.
This cost-efficient funding helps to create healthier neighborhoods, provide transportation choices and boost local economies. These attacks on TAP are simply unwise and unacceptable—and we need to make sure they don't go unanswered.
Programs like TAP are in high demand. Today, 12 percent of all trips in the United States are made by biking or walking. These active-transportation modes continue to grow as options for more and more Americans, yet we only invest 1.5 percent of surface transportation funds in these programs.
These aren't the first attacks on this critical funding—and they certainly won't be the last. Please take this simple action today.
Thanks for your support.
Sincerely,
Patrick Wojahn
Director of Government Relations
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
