From the Carfree USA Blog we learn that bicycle advocates are gaining respect with the federal government in a story from Congressional Quarterly's CQ Politics (Bicycle Campaign Gears Up for Campaign Cycle, By Colby Itkowitz, July 1, 2008). Two items seem to give bike proponents cause for optimism that bicycling will gain expanded federal funding in the future.
The first is Presidential Candidate Barack Obama's commitment to bicyclists. Says Executive Director of the Bikes Belong Coalition Tim Blumenthal of a recent meeting Mr. Obama had with him and other bike advocacy groups:
“It was an important coming-out moment for the bike industry in terms of political sophistication,” said Blumenthal, the executive director of the Bikes Belong Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Boulder, Colo. “Never in my memory has a biking event with a presidential candidate happened.”
The presidential candidate told the group he doesn't usually make promises, but that they could count on his support. The second item for hope says Congressional Quarterly is:
“Next year, Congress is slated to write a new highway bill, which is already being touted as embodying the greatest overhaul of federal transportation policy since President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway Act into law half a century ago. Bicycling advocates are hoping to build on a significant set of wins in the current highway law, written in 2005 — including new initiatives to fund “complete streets,” the term for new road projects outfitted with dedicated bike lanes — and arguing to step up federal funding to encourage bike commuting.”
With the potential for change in Washington with this year's elections and the rewriting of the next federal transportation bill slated for next year, bicycle advocates are hoping that their time has come to be taken seriously as a transportation option. Bike fans will want to read the entire article. Enjoy!
Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.
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