Cyclists across the country are enraged that a newly proposed $260 billion federal transportation bill — the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act — cuts federal support for bicycling and pedestrian trails, lanes and enhancements.
The bill, unveiled by House Republicans on Jan. 31, changes how the federal government funds transportation by giving states more control on spending. Current federal law — under the Transportation Enhancement Act — requires that states set aside a portion of federal highway funds for biking and walking enhancements such as trails and bike lanes. The new bill makes that required enhancement spending optional and allows states to decide how much, or how little, to fund bike and pedestrian projects.
But in bike-friendly Colorado, bike- policy promoters are confident that support for cycling and pedestrian transportation will continue. The Colorado Department of Transportation was one of the nation’s first to install federal funds in local Safe Routes to School programs, which the new bill would repeal. Bicycle Colorado, which champions pedaling, said the state directs about 75 percent of federal enhancement funding toward bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
“I think the lack of federal requirements may result in states stopping spending on bike and pedestrian projects, period,” said Dan Grunig, executive director of Bicycle Colorado, which held its annual Colorado Bike Summit this week in Denver. “But after having Gov. (John) Hickenlooper just come and speak at our summit today, we are confident that’s not going to happen here.”
Nationally, however, cyclists are decrying the five-year bill as reversing decades of progress by making the federal government’s transportation- enhancement funding — the lifeblood of bike-friendly transportation development — optional.
Last week, the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee rejected an amendment that would have restored dedicated bicycle and pedestrian funding.
Jason Blevins: 303-954-1374 or jblevins@denverpost.com
