Policy Page 10

Photo courtesy Sarah Clark Stuart

Leveraging Federal Dollars to Create a Regional Legacy

Posted 09/29/14 by Sarah Clark Stuart in Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with Pennsylvania, State and Federal Programs

In early October, the Philadelphia region will celebrate the opening of the 0.75-mile-long Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk. This trail, which is built along the east side of the Schuylkill River, is the final in a set of trail segments funded by federal dollars in 2010 that sparked an incredible amount of interest, enthusiasm and prioritization of other trail projects around the region.

Photo © Rails-to-Trails Conservancy/Ada Hao

Putting Safety First: U.S. DOT Takes Major Step Forward to Prioritize Safety for Bicyclists and Pedestrians

Posted 09/15/14 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Policy | Tagged with Federal, Government Agencies, Safety and Law Enforcement, State and Federal Programs

Last week, U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the department’s new plan to increase walking and biking and reduce pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities. The initiative seeks to improve safety by supporting better infrastructure for walking and bicycling, and providing research and tools for local governments and advocates.

Photo © Zachary Marsh

Putting It All Together: How One Pennsylvania Agency Is Turning Community Trail Visions into Reality

Posted 09/04/14 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Government Agencies, Pennsylvania, State and Federal Programs

For many, government agencies represent a land of endless bureaucracy, where dreams of new trails wither, bogged down by mountains of paperwork and red tape. Not so at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), which has played a key role in creating new trails for over two decades. To date, Pennsylvania has more than 1,700 miles of trails.

Photo CC rp_photo via Flickr

Congress Passes Short-Term Fix for Transportation Funding; So What Will Happen to Trails, Walking and Biking?

Posted 08/04/14 by Patrick Wojahn in Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs, Threats to Trail Building

On July 31, 2014 the Senate agreed to pass H.R. 5021. This bill, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives the week before, will temporarily shore up the Highway Trust Fund and extend the current MAP-21 transportation funding bill, originally to fund transportation through Sept. 30, 2014, until May 2015.

Photo CC Radloff via Flickr

Fighting for TIGER: Thousands of Trail Supporters Speak Out

Posted 06/13/14 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Taking Action, Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs, Threats to Trail Building

On Monday, we asked trail users like you to support TIGER, a critical federal program that supports investments in trails, walking and biking. In just a few hours, thousands of you wrote to your representatives, and thanks to your swift action, support for TIGER has only grown.

Photo © Patrick Gage

Senate’s Turn Part I: Senate Committee Takes On the Transportation Reauthorization Bill

Posted 05/21/14 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs, Threats to Trail Building

Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed a bill (S. 2322) to reauthorize MAP-21, the federal transportation legislation passed in 2012, which will expire at the end of September. The new bill seeks to fund transportation projects at status quo levels plus inflation through fiscal year 2020. The underlying premise of the bill is that transportation policies should not change substantially but should only be marginally refined, that long-term funding is critical for large infrastructure projects and that the current funding levels are acceptable.

Photo CC Adam Fagen via Flickr

Obama Bill Offers Way Forward on Active Transportation

Posted 05/02/14 by Patrick Wojahn in Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs

This week, the White House and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx put forward the GROW AMERICA Act, a bill which would increase funding for transportation infrastructure in the United States. GROW AMERICA includes provisions that could support the development of active transportation networks; that is, infrastructure for human-powered modes of transportation such as walking and biking.