Posts by Kevin Mills

No Car, No Problem: Connecting Car-less Americans to Opportunities

Posted 06/09/22 by Kevin Mills in Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with Federal, Funding, Mode Shift, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Courtesy Getty Images

Many federal transportation policies and programs could help redesign communities to work better for walking, biking and transit. One standout opportunity is to “flex” Federal highway funds—such as Surface Transportation Program Block Grants—to transit for purposes of addressing last-mile connectivity to public transportation. Such transfers are attractive because tapping into flexible highway funding can accelerate efforts to meet growing needs for safe places to walk and bike while increasing use of transit services.

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Courtesy Getty Images

No Car, No Problem: Connecting Car-less Americans to Opportunities

Posted 06/09/22 by Kevin Mills in Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with Federal, Funding, Mode Shift, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Many federal transportation policies and programs could help redesign communities to work better for walking, biking and transit. One standout opportunity is to “flex” Federal highway funds—such as Surface Transportation Program Block Grants—to transit for purposes of addressing last-mile connectivity to public transportation. Such transfers are attractive because tapping into flexible highway funding can accelerate efforts to meet growing needs for safe places to walk and bike while increasing use of transit services.

Indianapolis Cultural Trail | Photo by TrailLink user lunariver

USDOT’s Current RAISE Funding Opportunity Is Best Chance Yet to Secure Big Investments in Connected, Safe Walking and Biking Routes

Posted 02/08/22 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Federal, Funding, RAISE, TrailsTransform

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has invited applications for the next round of its competitive, multimodal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program (formerly known as TIGER under the Obama Administration and BUILD under the Trump Administration). This round promises to be your best chance yet to secure $5 million to $25 million to build your trail and other active-transportation connections, or a big planning grant to get your regional system ready.

Analysis: Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Passes With New Opportunities for Trails, Walking and Biking

Posted 11/06/21 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Federal, Recreational Trails Program, State and Federal Programs, TrailsTransform, Transportation Alternatives, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (H.R.3684), which passed the Senate in August. The bill will next head to President Biden for his signature, which is guaranteed. Here's what this means for trails, walking and biking.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Misses Opportunity to Prioritize Walking and Biking as Essential

Posted 08/09/21 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Federal, Funding, RAISE, Recreational Trails Program, Transportation Alternatives

The U.S. Senate today passed the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, the bipartisan infrastructure deal that has been painstakingly negotiated by the White House and moderates of both parties—negotiators who were not necessarily experts in transportation policy. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s (RTC’s) analysis finds the end result to be lacking.

Biden Infrastructure Goals Would Be Achieved With More Strategic Investment in Walking and Biking

Posted 04/13/21 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Equity, Federal, Funding, Recreational Trails Program, TrailsTransform, Transportation Alternatives, Walkability and Bikeability

The Biden Administration unveiled The American Jobs Plan, outlining a series of strategies for investing in America’s infrastructure, including transportation. What the plan is missing, however, is a focus on creating low-stress walking and biking routes, like trail and active transportation networks, that are needed to increase rates of walking and biking, which is fundamental to the goals laid out by the administration.

Four Bills Introduced in Congress Could Mean $2 Billion Annually for Trails, Walking and Biking

Posted 03/10/20 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Federal, Funding, Recreational Trails Program, TrailsTransform, Transportation Alternatives

This year, RTC has been working with members of Congress to introduce the missing pieces of an ambitious funding package comprising four bills that collectively call for $2 billion/year for programs dedicated to advancing a nationwide network of trails, walkways and bikeways that would result in a huge return on investment in the next couple decades.

United States Capitol during the national cherry blossom festival in Washington, D.C.

A Senate Committee Just Approved a Transportation Bill for America—Here’s What It Means for Trails

Posted 07/30/19 by Kevin Mills, Patrick Wojahn in Policy | Tagged with Federal, Funding, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs, TrailsTransform, Transportation Alternatives

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW Committee) passed the bipartisan America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019, or ATIA, and is making progress more than a year before the FAST Act expires. This gives us optimism at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) that Congress will be able to come together to invest in a balanced transportation system. But there's still work to be done.

New Transportation Bill Could Open Up More Money for Trails Nationwide

Posted 04/12/19 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Federal, Funding, State and Federal Programs, Transportation Alternatives

Not to be outdone, the Senate is also considering the next big transportation bill—and they heard about the need to build trails and active transportation infrastructure loud and clear. Two recent developments are inching proposals for more and better trail funding closer to reality: First, Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) recently supported RTC’s request to fund trail networks and spines; and second, Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced a bill on Tuesday (S. 1098) to improve the current federal program for active transportation. What will these proposals mean for trails? Here is RTC’s take on these recent developments.

A two-way cycle track in the median of Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C. - Photo by Elvert Barnes courtesy pedbikeimages.org

Trail Networks and Spines: Key Components As Congress Discusses America’s Mobility Future

Posted 03/14/19 by Kevin Mills, Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Policy | Tagged with Connected Systems, Federal, Partnership for Active Transportation, Recreational Trails Program, TrailsTransform, Transportation Alternatives

As Congress considers how it can meet the transportation needs of 21st-century America, RTC encourages them to consider the positive impacts active transportation can have on communities and how connected trail networks and spines are a significant part of the answer.

2017 Opening Day for Trails celebration on the Circuit Trails | Photo by Lauren Lenko

Exit the TIGER, Enter BUILD: What Does It Mean for Trails?

Posted 04/24/18 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Facts and FIgures, Federal, Funding, Government Agencies, Partnership for Active Transportation, State and Federal Programs, TrailNation, TrailsTransform

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced a new program, BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development), which replaces the wildly popular TIGER program and also seeks to pursue many of the principles in the White House infrastructure plan on a small scale. Here’s what these changes mean for trails and the future of walking and biking investment.