Protect Active Transportation Funding

Thank you. Based on the state in which you live, it is crucial that both of your senators AND your House representative hear from you.

We try our hardest to avoid asking more of you than is necessary. In this case, there is so much riding on the outcome of the recovery package—more than $1.3 billion for Transportation Enhancements (TE)—that we hope you will understand and give a few minutes of your time. TE is the nation's primary funding source for trails, walking and biking, and this package could lead to innumerable new miles of trails and other active transportation infrastructure.

Please give a few minutes of your time to this cause—together we can make a difference.

Thank you.

1) Senate

If you know who your senators are, you can find their phone numbers here (all numbers are of the form 202-224-xxxx). To look up your senators and their phone numbers, go here.

The Senate conferees are Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Max Baucus (D-Mt.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa). If your senator is on this list, be sure to ask that he personally protect TE in conference.

Call both senators with the following message:

I am calling to ask that Senator ______ encourage the Senate conferees to protect Transportation Enhancements in conference.

More talking points for you to consider using are below.

2) House of Representatives

If you know who your House representative is, go here to find his/her phone number (all numbers use the (202) area code). Or, go here to determine your representative and his/her number. 

The House conferees are expected to include Representatives David Obey (D-Wis.), Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), and Henry Waxman (D-Cal.).

Next, please call the member's and convey:

I am calling to thank the House for passing a recovery package that explicitly funded Transportation Enhancements. I would also like to ask Representative _____ to encourage the House conferees to protect Transportation Enhancements in conference.

Again, more talking points to consider in your phone call are below.

When you’ve finished all your calls, please report your calls back to us so we can track our collective impact.

Thank you so much.

Here are some talking points to consider in your phone calls:

• RTC and partners have identified more than $3.4 billion of shovel-ready active transportation projects that could use this infusion of resources to put people to work, meeting the economic stimulus and active transportation needs of communities across the country.
• These smaller TE projects can move quickly to hire local businesses and help local economies.
• Because they are more labor-intensive and less materials-intensive than highway projects, bicycle and pedestrian projects create jobs at the same or better rate.
• Promoting active transportation increases a region’s attraction, thereby supporting local businesses.
• Providing safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian access provides more affordable transportation options, freeing up discretionary spending for other needs.