As part of our three part series, “Getting Federal Funding,” the Advocacy Advance partnership continues with a report on the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).  The series is designed to provide guidance on federal funding programs that are often overlooked for bike and pedestrian projects.  The first report outlined the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program which can be used to fund bicycle and pedestrian projects that replace car trips with biking and walking trips. (photo by gwadzilla)

Part II of this series covers the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).  HSIP funds can be used for all safety related bike and pedestrian infrastructure projects on public roads or trails, and provides 90 percent of project funds, with only 10 percent coming from local government or other sources.  Unfortunately, HSIP funds have been woefully underutilized since it began in 2006.  By the end of the 2009 fiscal year, $600 million in HSIP funds had not been spent.  This is especially disturbing when you consider that, in 2008, the federal government spent a total of $550 million on all bike and pedestrian projects in the nation.

Many bike and pedestrian advocates are not aware of this resource, and those that have attempted to direct HSIP funds towards bike and pedestrian infrastructure have struggled to justify project funding to their state DOTs.  The HSIP report identifies these issues and provides strategies to address them.  It also provides a number of project examples, program requirements, and state by state funding data.

Read the whole HSIP report.

~Anna Kelso
League Policy Analyst

Cycling in Tupelo isn’t exactly like cycling in Portland. It’s not even Oxford, currently Mississippi’s only Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC). Despite fond memories of bike rodeos, safety checks and riding bike lanes on my way to elementary school years ago, there hasn’t been a lot of accommodations or encouragement for bicycling in the city since. In fact a 2007 survey found only 21 people biking to work.

However, that’s all starting to change. My grandmother regularly cuts out, scans and e-mails me local newspaper clippings about bike racing, planned bike trails and new city planning staff who want to promote bikes as transportation. I haven’t had the heart to tell her the articles are online.

Thanks to the efforts of Karen Mogridge with Bike Walk Mississippi, Tupelo Bicycle Club and Tupelo Senior Planner Renee Autumn Ray, bicycling is starting to improve in my hometown. While Frerer won’t be able to see the results of these efforts, his death has contributed towards this renewed energy. Bike Walk Mississippi has introduced a three foot passing legislation on the state level but local advocates weren’t waiting. Bolstered by testimony from Liria Frerer, the boy’s mother, Tupelo became the first community in the state to pass its own 3 foot passing law.

From NEMS Daily Journal:

“The importance of this law is about education and awareness,” Frerer said at the podium, where she paused more than once to maintain her composure. The measure passed unanimously and received a standing ovation from the numerous residents who had gathered to support Frerer at City Hall. According to the new ordinance, motorists must either switch lanes or provide a 3- to 6-foot buffer zone when passing someone on foot, horseback, bicycle, motorcycle, scooter or farm equipment.

Our BFC program includes model communities like Chicago, Portland and Boulder. We recognize that these cities are not indicative of most of the country but small and large communities accross the nation are becoming BFCs. Currently 124 of the 318 total applicants have a BFC four-year designation. While we think any place can learn from our BFCs’ examples and best practices, it is with great pleasure – and a whole lot of hometown pride – that I can now point to Tupelo as an example. If a town like Tupelo can work to create safer cycling, so can your community. See how your hometown stacks up using our quick scorecard.

~Jeff Peel
League BFA Program Specialist

Despite the growth in bicycle commuting, it still strikes many people as unusual. In fact, judging by this report in the “Twitter Room” section of The Hill (“Tweets you need to read”) a Congressman riding his bike to a bill signing on Capitol Hill is more noteworthy than a Congressman using Twitter. The article relates the fact that Congressman Earl Blumenauer tweeted the following:

“Biking to White House to join the President and GLBT champions for signing Hate Crimes into law.”

The article, of course, mentions the Congressional Bike Caucus. The list of the members of the Congressional Bike Caucus on Congressman Blumenauer’s website needs to be updated.  The caucus has grown, thanks to enthusiasm generated at the most recent National Bike Summit. There are now 218 Bike Caucus members. View the full list of Bike Caucus Members in the 111th Congress.

Meanwhile in other Earl Blumenauer news, Streetsfilms got to tag along as Transportation Alternatives’ Paul Steely White and Noah Budnick gave him a tour of New York City’s new bicycle facilities. Good stuff…

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~Darren Flusche
League Policy Analyst

While no doubt hoping to stir a lively debate, the author rehashed the tired – and false – notion that motorists and cyclists are at war and cannot coexist peacefully. The overwhelming majority of cyclists has absolutely no intention or desire to deliberately obstruct motorists. A tiny minority of riders may be oblivious and thoughtless about what’s going on behind them – and very, very occasionally a critical mass ride or equivalent will deliberately fill up a street or intersection for a few minutes, once a month, in a handful of cities across the country. Not exactly apocalyptic stuff.

To be honest, drivers are very much more effective at clogging up city streets, twice a day, every work day, 52 weeks of the year, all by themselves without any help from cyclists. Seriously, if a few more people walked, took transit or biked instead…?!

In one case highlighted in the article, a driver – apparently already notorious among the Los Angeles bicycling community for similar prior behavior – passed a group of cyclists heading down a canyon road and deliberately slammed on the brakes in front of them, with fairly obvious consequences. He was mad at having to wait behind them.

By chance, my son and I were in the LA area the week after this happened. As we drove down some of the amazing canyon roads, at the speed limit, we were illegally passed by impatient motorists who crossed the solid yellow center lines on blind corners and as we approached intersections – not just once or twice, but enough times that it became something of a standing joke between us. Except that it isn’t funny when people get hurt.

The other case involved a Maryland driver who hit and killed a cyclist in front of her that she “didn’t see”. The USA Today article, local media and even early statements from the Maryland Highway Patrol suggested that if the rider had been in the right portion of the lane instead of the middle, the crash might have been prevented – a little hard to fathom, given that the motorist didn’t see the cyclist when he was straight in front of her. Surely we should expect drivers to be aware of what is going on right in front of them – and surely the news media and police should bolster that expectation, not excuse careless, dangerous or inattentive driving.

The author contacted the League for a “little perspective”. He used a “little” of what Jeff Peel had to say in response. He actually managed to single out phrases that had both cyclists and motorists irritated with us at the same time, which is no small feat!

Our Smart Cycling program teach that there are times when cyclists do need to take the lane, even on streets with bike lanes: when the bike lane or right hand side of the travel lane is blocked, or has a dangerous drainage grate or pothole, or has broken glass, piles of snow or leaves – all things which can cause a cyclist to crash. It’s really no different for motorists encountering delivery trucks, wheel-swallowing potholes, broken down vehicles, illegally parked cars, etc. You don’t just drive over them if you can help it.

There may be times when the travel lane is simply too narrow to share side by side with a car, and rather than ride in the gutter or on the sidewalk (surprising to many, sidewalks are among THE most likely places for everyday cyclists to get in a crash with a car) it is safer for the bicyclist and the motorist for the cyclist to ride in the center of the lane. Not to get in the way; and not on the interstate. A cyclist is more visible, and frankly more predictable, where you can see them and see their intentions.

There are times when a cyclist may be going straight ahead and there’s a right turn only lane – to the motorist, it may appear that the cyclist is “in the middle of the road”; to the cyclist, they are just trying to get where they are going without having someone turn right in front of them. The same is true if a cyclist is making a left turn – they should usually be making it from the left side of the lane or left-turn lane.

Truthfully, this whole debate isn’t really just about bicyclists and bicycling versus motorists and cars – even though that makes for better copy and more strident discussion. It’s about civility and safety on our streets, for which we all share responsibility. There are rogue cyclists and rogue drivers; and failure to comply with traffic laws – be they stop signs for cyclists or speed limits for motorists – is sadly endemic in our culture, and we tolerate it at our individual and collective peril every time we hit the road.

And don’t even get me started on cell phone use and texting while driving…or cycling.

Andy Clarke
President, League of American Bicyclists

Lucky kid

From the New York Times:

BALANCE bikes, long popular in Europe, are making inroads in the United States as a way to teach children to ride a two-wheel bicycle without the need for training wheels. The bikes do not have pedals; instead, toddlers use their feet to steady themselves, propel forward and brake. Eventually they learn to coast — and balance.

Technically, the bikes are ride-on toys, because they lack gears. But they do look like small bicycles, with rubber tires, adjustable seats and adjustable handlebars (on the metal-frame ones, at least). All are low to the ground, so that diminutive riders can straddle them while standing on both feet.

“This makes them a better option than taking the pedals off a regular kids’ bike, since the bike may still be too tall to stand over,” said Tim Blumenthal, the executive director of Bikes Belong, a nonprofit advocacy group in Boulder, Colo. Velo Bartolome, age 2, recently tested five balance bikes, each no more than 11 pounds or $98. His father, Arsenio, a sales representative for City Bikes in Chevy Chase, Md., and Washington, D.C., said that a lightweight bike was easier for younger riders to control. “The learning curve for building and riding the bikes was quick,” Mr. Bartolome said. “About 15 minutes for each of us.”

~Darren Flusche
League Policy Analyst

The report tracks local use of federal bicycle and pedestrian funds since they became available under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). The authors rank the 50 largest metropolitan areas according to annual per capita spending on bicycle and pedestrian projects between 1991 and 2006. Investments ranged from $0.18 per person per year in the Virginia Beach, VA metropolitan area to $2.50 in the Providence, RI area. They also tracked how much of the funding came from Transportation Enhancements (TE) and the number of other federal funding programs the metropolitan areas tapped into.

Perhaps the most striking finding of the report is the role of sub-allocations. Federal funding can flow either through the state or be sub-allocated through Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). The federal government recommends that states devolve funding authority to MPOs, but many states choose not to. According to the report, this impacts the chances of bicycling and walking projects being funded. Cities in states that sub-allocated TE spent an average of 44 percent more on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure than cities in states without sub-allocation. This is probably because the positive impact of bicycle and pedestrian facilities is more apparent on the city-scale rather than the state-scale.

The report uses a comparative case study of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program

CMAQ-funded bike sharing program in Fort COllins, CO

funds spent in Sacramento, Calif. and Baltimore, Md. to demonstrate the point. California sub-allocates their CMAQ funds to MPOs, whereas Maryland administers the program from the state level. Forty-four percent of the federal bicycle and pedestrian funding in Sacramento came from the CMAQ program, an even larger share than came from TE. In contrast, Baltimore relied heavily on TE funds and did not spend any CMAQ money on bicycle and pedestrian projects over the 14 year period. It appears that bicycle and pedestrian projects fare best when funding decisions are made at the lowest level of government possible.

I was in New York City recently and planners and advocates there expressed the desire to have federal funding flow directly through the sophisticated and well-staffed city DOT instead of their Metropolitan Planning Organization, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council. Compared to some places, though, New York has it good.

~Darren Flusche
League Policy Analyst

Representative Blumenauer Announces Creation of Livable Communities Task Force

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) announced today, October 20 the creation of the Livable Communities Task Force, a collection of Congressmen united in improving and expediting legislation that builds more livable communities. The task force, made up of 20 Representatives, is charged with working to improve our communities through federal legislation that helps reduce our nation’s dependence on oil, protect the environment, improve public health and invest in housing and transportation projects that create jobs and can give people more commuting choices.

Rep. Blumenauer, Chairman of the task force, announced its formation on Streetsblog and explains further on the task force’s website.

Climate Bill Moving Forward on Transportation Funding

The Senate Climate Bill, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, is moving along. The next step will be to set funding allocations including funding for green transportation.

The Climate Bill, introduced on September 30th by Senators Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), is a comprehensive bill posed to fight global warming by putting a cap and trade on CO2 emissions.

The funding levels for the bill, which are still being negotiated, have been expected to give only a small percentage of increase to green transportation, such as bicycling and walking, despite the fact that 30 percent of our nation’s emissions are from the transportation sector. The League of American Bicyclists, along with the Transportation for America (T4) Coalition, participated in a Senate lobby day on October 7 and met with 23 offices to advocate for robust funding for green transportation in the Climate Bill going with hopes to combat emissions from the transportation sector.

The Committee on Environment and Public Works has also announced a “Legislative Hearing on S. 1733, Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act” on October 27th. The speakers include Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.

Senate Majority Leadership Recognizes Need for Shorter Extension

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Assistant Majority Leader, recently stated that he would like to see a transportation bill passed by early 2010, much sooner than expected. This announcement, made at a summit of regional business leaders in Iowa, comes as a break from the 18-month extension proposed by the Obama administration and Senator Boxer (D-CA), Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee (the body posed to write the bill).

Elena Schor at Streetsblog analyzes the possible repercussions of the Senator’s statement. Read the original story from the Quincy Herald Whig.

~Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

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~Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Summary: On September 17, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new program: Communities Putting Prevention to Work. Thirty to forty communities will receive a total of $373 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) dollars through this competitive grant program to support interventions that reduce obesity (through improved physical activity and nutrition) and/or reduce tobacco use. Communities can apply for either focus area or both. This landmark opportunity is aimed at mobilizing community resources toward broad-based policy, systems, organizational and environmental changes. The application places an emphasis on communities demonstrating effective coalitions, and notes that special consideration should be given to the inclusion of populations disproportionately affected by chronic diseases.

On September 29, 2009 the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of $120 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for prevention and wellness programs for U.S. states and territories, building on the recent announcement of the $373 million funding opportunity for communities and tribes around the country. In all, the comprehensive Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative will make $650 million available for public health efforts to address obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking.

Lead Applicants: Local and State Health Departments

Deadlines: Letter of Intent Deadline: October 30, 2009 Application Deadline: December 1, 2009

The Opportunity for Bike/Ped Advocates: Communities Putting Prevention to Work provides an important opportunity for bicycle and pedestrian professionals, enthusiasts, and advocates, as well as health officials, to act quickly to get your city or state to:

1. Apply for the funding;
2. Educate the health department about the range of bike/ped interventions that can be included in their application and action plan; and
3. Include your organization as a partner in the effort.

The Alliance for Biking & Walking has worked with America Bikes and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership to prepare a list of sample bike/ped activities that fit within the five categories of evidence-based interventions that are required as part of this CDC application. Funds are available to make these projects a reality — so it is in your interest to work with your health department to develop the bike/ped aspects of the CDC application for obesity prevention, and to demonstrate how your organization can be a resource to them.

* Populations greater than 500,000: If you live in a city or county with a population of 500,000 people or more, your local city or county health department will be the lead applicant on the grant. You should find and contact the health department staff person who is the lead on physical activity or obesity. In addition, you should contact your Mayor and City Council members to urge them to ask the health department to apply for this grant with a focus on bike/ped to increase physical activity.
* Populations less than 500,000: If you live in a city, county, or community with a population of less than 500,000 people, then your State Department of Health will be the lead applicant. States can only choose two communities throughout the whole state to sponsor, so it will be important to reach out soon. Work with your local health department, Mayor or members of the Board of Supervisors to encourage them to reach out to the state department of health to include your community in the state’s application.
* Tribal Applicants: If you live in a tribal area, you should work with the health department lead staff on physical activity or obesity to prepare the application. Tribes are permitted to apply directly. Application Focus: The CDC Request for Proposals notes that the “key to the success of this initiative, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, will be to implement community-wide policies, systems, and environmental changes that reach across all levels of the socio-ecological model and include the full engagement of the leadership in city government, boards of health, schools, businesses, community and faith-based organizations, community developers, transportation and land use planners, parks and recreation officials, health care purchasers, health plans, health care providers, academic institutions, foundations, other Recovery Act-funded community activities, and many other community sectors working together to promote health and prevent chronic diseases. Funded programs need to build on, but not duplicate current Federal programs as well as state, local, or community programs and coordinate fully with existing programs and resources in the community.”

Please note that construction and research are not eligible activities.

Resource Links:

Grant Information details available at Grants.gov

CDC’s Community Health Resources http://www.cdc.gov/CommunityHealthResources

Sample Bike/Ped Interventions for Communities Putting Prevention to Work

Potential Partners: League Bicycle Advocacy Organizations Operating at Local and State Levels and Alliance member organizations