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Bicycle City

Tell the Senate that bikes have a right to the road

The draft of the Senate's transportation authorization bill, S. 1813 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, includes language that would introduce a mandatory sidepath law on roads in our National Parks and other Federal lands. It requires cyclists on Federal lands to use a path or trail, instead of roads, if the speed limit is over 30 MPH and a trail exists within 100 yards, regardless of its condition or utility of the path. The provision sets a terrible precedent. Passing it would send the wrong message to transportation agencies that these policies are acceptable. Laws like this have been taken off the books in states over the past 30 years. This takes us in the wrong direction.

For more information, read Andy Clarke's blog post.

The League is working on many other aspects of the transportation reauthorization bill. This petition relates specifically to the mandatory sidepath law, which we felt deserved special attention. Stay tuned for news and action alerts related to this and other aspects of this critical legislation.

Please join us in telling the Senate that the mandatory sidepath law is a bad idea -

Dear Senators,

We ask you to remove the mandatory sidepath language (Section § 203 (d)) from the transportation authorization bill, S. 1813 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. The law unfairly and unreasonably restricts cycling at a time when we should be encouraging bicycling for transportation, health, recreation, air quality and a host of other reasons.

Signed,






















I Bike I Vote

14096
Signatures

“Bicycles ARE traffic.”
Chris Elder
Greensboro, NC

“This would be a dangerous law for both cyclists and pedestrians. Bicycles travel at speeds in excess of 20mph. Forcing cyclists to share a small path with pedestrians travelling at less than 5mph is just asking for accidents. In addition, it gives motorists the idea that bicyclists are not legitimate road users.”
Andrew Willbanks
Santa Rosa, CA

“A bicycle is considered a vehicle and must be allowed access to roads within our national parks.”
Linda Allen
Vestavia, AL

“Most of the "bike" paths are actually walking paths. This creates a VERY dangerous situation. I have not only witnessed many accidents on these paths but was in one myself on a dangerous sandy curve and broke my pelvis. This accident would never have occured if I wasn't trying to stay in my lane on the narrow multi-use path trying to avoid others. I will now suffer with pain in my hip and back for the rest of my life and have avoided multi-use paths ever since. Please don't subject others to the same fate. We should be encouraging more bikes and less cars, not forcing cyclists to drive because the paths to work are too dangerous to ride.”
Melissa Tallent
Newport News, VA

“Bikes are vehicles. They belong on roads.”
Gail Blake
Ithaca, NY

“Many paths are not well maintained or cleared of snow or ice in bad weather. Also most paths are multi-use which is understandable but are now becoming over-crowded, creating unsafe conditions especially during commuting hours.”
Paula Choate
Washington, DC

“They, who ever they are should be encouraging people to bike more not less. ”
Lennox Holness
Seattle, WA

“I'll never give up my right to cycle on public roads....NEVER I pay taxes and I'll use my public roads all I want. If this bill gets passed I'll start a class action and get an injunction to put it in limbo”
Tracy Johnson
Santa Rosa, CA

“The Federal government should be doing everything in its power to encourage cycling and to make it safer, not restricting it. ”
Heather Higgins
Charlottesville, VA

“Of all places where bikes should be allowed to ride hassle-free... shouldn't it be the parks?”
Rob Hardy
Washington, DC