[IMC] Senator Durbin Joins Members of Congress, Bike Advocates to Release New Survey

[Mary Lauran Hall]

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America Bikes
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Contact: Mary Lauran Hall
(202) 642-6617
mlhall at americabikes.org

Senator Durbin: 

New Survey Shows Americans Overwhelmingly Support Funding for Sidewalks, Bike Lanes, Bike Paths

As Congress considers cuts, national survey shows bipartisan support for maintaining funding for biking and walking

Washington, DC – New survey results reveal overwhelming support for biking and walking, with more than 80 percent of Americans favoring level or increased federal funding for sidewalks and bike lanes.

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Congressman Tom Petri (R-WI), staff of Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME), business leaders, and national bicycle advocacy organizations to announce the new data.

The national survey, performed by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, asked 1,003 adults in the United States about their opinions on federal funding for sidewalks, bike lanes, and bike paths. The results were astounding — and bipartisan:

- 83 percent of all respondents support maintaining or growing the federal funding streams that pay for sidewalks, bikeways, and bike paths.
- 80 percent of Republican respondents and 88 percent of Democrat respondents think Congress should maintain or increase federal funds for biking and walking.
- 85 percent of Northeastern respondents, 79 percent of Midwesterners, 84 percent of Southerners, and 84 percent of respondents from Western states reported support for maintaining or increasing funding for sidewalks and bikeways.
- 91 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 support continuing or increasing biking and walking funds.
Download the full report here. <http://www.americabikes.org/2012survey>   

These results add critical perspective to a pressing national debate about transportation, as members of Congress, including Senator Durbin and Congressman Blumenauer, conference to develop a consensus transportation bill — and some propose eliminating dedicated funding for biking and walking.

“In less than two weeks, thousands of bicyclists will ride up to 30 miles along Chicago’s beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline as part of 'Bike the Drive,'" said Senator Durbin (D-IL), a co-chair of the Senate Bike Caucus. "This is just one example of the kind of support bicycling enjoys in communities across Illinois. The results of this poll are clear: whether they are living in big cities or small towns, Americans overwhelmingly support biking and pedestrian projects. As a member of the House-Senate Conference Committee on the next transportation bill and as a bicyclist, I am committed to continuing to work to protect this funding for sidewalks, bike paths, and trails." 

“Americans overwhelmingly support federal funding for sidewalks and bikeways, and any controversy over this is an inside-the-Beltway issue. As more people choose to bike and walk for transportation, Americans want their communities to build the sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways that keep everyone safe,” said Caron Whitaker, campaign director of America Bikes. “Cutting programs such as Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and Recreational Trails doesn’t save money; it just makes it harder for local governments to make their streets safer and more accessible for children and adults. Americans clearly want that small, but vital, commitment to continue.”

“These polling data clearly show Americans want transportation options,” said Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), who represents the House Ways and Means Committee on the transportation conference committee. “Especially as gas prices increase, Americans want options that help them save money, spend time with their families, and burn calories instead of carbon. I hope that this new data will remind my colleagues that communities large and small support fully funding sidewalks, bike lanes, and other improvements to make biking and walking safer and more convenient.”

Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) commented, “It is important that communities continue to have access to federal resources to implement transportation improvements such as biking and pedestrian infrastructure that are meaningful to public safety, economic development and quality of life at the local level.”

“Americans support federal investments that make biking and walking safer. These are essential investments in the quality and safety of our national transportation infrastructure,” said Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD). “I was proud of the work I did with Senator Cochran to ensure that local governments’ access to bike, pedestrian, and trail funding was maintained in the transportation bill that passed the Senate. This bill is so critical to putting millions of Americans to work on infrastructure projects that will improve U.S. economic competitiveness, travel safety, and energy independence.”

Representative Tom Petri (R-WI) commented, "As we continue work on transportation legislation in the House, we should be careful to produce a balanced program which includes sidewalks, bike lanes and bike paths. The transportation and health benefits of biking and walking are important, and it would be a mistake to reverse the progress we have already made there."

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America Bikes
http://www.americabikes.org/ <http://www.americabikes.org/>

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