I told the president
Here’s YOUR chance to tell President-elect Barack Obama and the new Congress what they need to know to take action to improve transportation next year.What’s bugging you? Congestion? Safety? Potholes? Bumpy pavement? When it comes to America’s transportation system, there’s a lot riding on the future. Add YOUR voice to the debate.
[This is important to let them know bicycling issues are important on so many levels, safety should be a priority for all not just for motorist. Vulnerable road users make up over 15% of traffic fatalities but get less then 2% of the funding, this has to change! Powerful lobbies are trying to take every last penny away from us to insure only motoring is supported.
* Per US DOT survey 73% would welcome new and improved bicycle facilities#1
* Per NHTSA survey 89% of bike trips begin at a residence and only 7% at a recreational site#2
* Over 75% of all car trips in the US are for distances under ten miles and nearly 60% are for distances under five miles.#3
* Per recommendations of TFAH and RWJF increase access to safe, accessible places for physical activity in communities. Examples include creating and maintaining … bike lanes and providing incentives for smart growth designs that make communities more livable#4] Submit your thoughts here: <a href="http://www.itoldthepresident.org/">http://www.itoldthepresident.org/</a>;
Other things to consider:
* School districts in Maryland are consolidating bus stops, canceling field trips and forcing students to walk longer distances to school to control fuel costs.#5
* Maryland has had statistically significant increases in the obesity rate for three years in a row per the F as in Fat Report.#6
* Maryland ranks the 8th worst state for bike/ped traffic fatalities per FARS.
* Maryland ranks 35 out of 50 for bike friendliness per the League of American Bicyclists.#7
* Maryland ranks the 5th lowest bike/ped spending per capita for the last 3 years,#8 spending $1.61/capita/year with the National average of $6.14 and the National high of $38.16.
* Maryland spends 0.62% of its Federal Funds on Bike/ped projects the National average is 1.78% and a National high of 5.40%#9
Why is our state below the national average of the modal share of biking to work?
* Federal Law requires that a bike network be identified - and a decent one has been identified but not funded.#10 Without funds area bike plans have laid dormant for years.
Despite policies to improve bicycle access and projects to improve bicycling in the area the net gain is virtually nil, more attention is needed.
* Federal Law provides a 20:80 match to help establish this bike network#11
* There is a great deal of buzz about bike racks on the regional buses to expand the functionality of the bus routes but little attention has been placed on the fact that most people are not comfortable about biking on our roads.
1 <a href="http://www.baltometro.org/content/view/472/298/">http://www.baltometro.org/content/view/472/298/</a>;
2 <a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic%20Injury%20Control/Articles/Associated%20Files/810971.pdf">http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic%20Injury%20Control/Articles/Associated%20Files/810971.pdf</a>;
3 <a href="http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm">http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm</a>;
4 <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-19-2008/0004870298&EDATE">http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-19-2008/0004870298&EDATE</a>=
5 <a href="http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/8/18/374608.html">http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/8/18/374608.html</a>;
6 <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-19-2008/0004870298&EDATE">http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-19-2008/0004870298&EDATE</a>=
7 <a href="http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/index.php">http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/index.php</a>;
8 <a href="http://www.thunderheadalliance.org/site/images/uploads/2007_Benchmarking_Data_Final.xls">http://www.thunderheadalliance.org/site/images/uploads/2007_Benchmarking_Data_Final.xls</a>;
9 ibid
10 <a href="http://www.baltometro.org/BRTP2001/RegionalMap.pdf">http://www.baltometro.org/BRTP2001/RegionalMap.pdf</a>;
11 Generally, the Federal share is 80 percent …
<a href="http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/factsheets/transenh.htm">http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/factsheets/transenh.htm</a>;
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