|
Marin County, California, Gets Support for Biking, Walking, Trails:
$25 Million Non-Motorized Pilot Project Gets Underway
Marin County, Calif., has begun the challenging process of determining how to invest the $25 million in federal transportation funds they were awarded last year. Marin was one of four communities in the country selected to conduct a pilot program to demonstrate how significant investment in bicycle and pedestrian projects and programs can help reduce driving trips and traffic congestion, while encouraging more people to engage in active transportation by biking or walking to transit, school, work and local shopping.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) played an instrumental role in creating the Non-Motorized Pilot Program in Congress last year. In addition to Marin, Columbia, Mo., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., and Sheboygan, Wisc. were chosen for the pilot program which can fund projects such as sidewalks, bicycle lanes, bike and pedestrian trails, and related educational and promotional programs.
RTC's Western Regional Office is part of the team working with Marin County to conduct community workshops and get public input into the selection of projects and programs to be funded over the next four years. A 19-member project advisory committee has been established; they will assist in the development of scoring and ranking methodology, participate in community outreach, and selection of a recommended list of projects and programs to be funded. A project kickoff meeting will be held the last week of November, and a pilot program Web site will be created.
|
