Wait! Bikes Really ARE Transportation - DOT Secretary Mary Peters Now Says
As you might recall, in an earlier post we talked about how in an August interview on PBS, US Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said that "bikes are not transportation."
Here's her exact quote:
"Well, there's about probably some 10 percent to 20 percent of the current spending that is going to projects that really are not transportation, directly transportation-related. Some of that money is being spent on things, as I said earlier, like bike paths or trails."
Many cyclists, particularly those transportational cyclists who use bike paths or trails for commuting and normal errands around town, were outraged, and Peters' office was flooded with emails, letters and phone calls. I wrote her, as did many of you.
A couple of days ago, I received a response from her, and wanted to share it with you. It follows below. Apparently what I received is the standard reply that was sent to correspondents regarding this issue.
While I appreciate her comments that the U.S. DOT believes that bicyclists "are legitimate and welcome users" of the nation's transportation system, that statement is going to ring hollow until funding specifically for bicycle infrastructure is more than just a tiny fraction of the nation's massive transportation budget. I still think it is baloney that Peters pointed to all the wasteful spending on bike trails as the reason an interstate bridge fell down. Give me a break. And I'm still not sure what the last paragraph about safety was all about.
Here is the letter:
Thank you for your e-mail about the importance of bicycling and walking as a form of transportation. I share your interest in a safe, efficient multimodal transportation system. Your e-mail discussed comments I made during a recent interview regarding the importance of effectively prioritizing major transportation spending decisions. These comments were in no way intended as an indictment of bicycle and pedestrian investments broadly. Rather, they were part of a much larger critique of the processes by which investment decisions are increasingly being made at the Federal level. Too often, political influence and power are guiding transportation spending priorities, instead of merit, competition, data, and analysis.The U.S. Department of Transportation believes that bicyclists and pedestrians are legitimate and welcome users of our Nation's transportation system. They are a healthy part of the solution to congestion in our urban areas. We also believe that States, metropolitan planning organizations, and transit agencies are in the best position to understand the unique needs of their own communities, which is why we have continued to strongly support broad eligibility under the Federal-aid program for a diverse mix of transportation investments, including bicycle and pedestrian transportation facilities.
Programs that improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians are also eligible for Federal safety dollars. Although the number of bicyclist and pedestrian injuries and fatalities has dropped by 10 percent since 1994, fatalities have increased in the last 2 years, and this is not acceptable.
Thank you again for voicing your opinion. I hope to continue to work with bicycling and pedestrian advocates as we face the challenges of meeting our country's changing transportation needs.
[Signed]
Mary PetersImage: U.S. Department of Transportation
Comments
Thank you for contacting Chase. I am sorry to hear that
you were unable to obtain service while riding your bike
through the drive-thru; unfortunately, the branch retains
their discretion on the type of unit that is used to
conduct business via the drive-thru.
I have contacted the branch on your behalf. They advised
that for security purposes, they are only able to assist
patrons in a motorized vehicle (i.e. car, truck,
motorcycle, SUV, etc.).
I apologize for any inconvenience this service has caused.
If you require further assistance, please e-mail us via
the Secure Message Center or contact Chase By Phone at
1-800-935-9935. Chase By Phone representatives are
available to assist you 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM, seven days a
week with automated account information available 24-hours
a day.
Thank you,
Selina C Hood
Internet Service Center
Secretary Mary Peters’ bold statement “We also believe that States, metropolitan planning organizations, and transit agencies are in the best position to understand the unique needs of their own communities,” provides a tacit admission this administration intends to refuse even “bare-bone” funding to towards a viable bicycle and pedestrian transportation infrastructure.
The reality is thus: bicycles serve as a proven form of reliable transportation requiring zero degree of interdependence on our nation’s limited energy infrastructure; in sum, bicycles and bicyclists alike, serve a strategic role in maintaining our national security interest of ensuring scores of Americans travel to and from every conceivable destination.
As a matter of national security, federal funding is essential here and now to accomplish a viable bicycle and pedestrian transportation infrastructure.
We cannot waste valuable time wrestling with state and local governmental entities for money. They are already bankrupt both in vision and cash.
I believe what she might have meant on the safety issue, is that she is willing to invest in ways to drop biking accidents. If that is so, I would vote for more bike paths, as well as placing warning signs to drivers in places where bikers paths crosses car paths, etc.
I can’t believe she is not a proponent of bicycling– look at the helmet she’s wearing in that picture!
Maybe part of the answer is for more and more people to begin riding as much as possible. Educate others on the many benefits of cycling to and from work. The benefits are almost endless for our health and our communities. (You really can’t say that for automobiles which have their benefits, but are greatly overstated these days). This will be solved when there are so many cyclists out there, the local and federal agencies will be have no choice but to understand……or begin regulating it.
I think that she had a point. While there are exceptions, most bike paths I know are recreational, not transportational; people load their bikes on their cars, drive to the trailhead, ride around, then load their cars up again and drive home. They really don’t GO anywhere.
Recreation and transportation are both important functions in society, but they are two different things.
(BTW, I am a transportational cyclist, but most of my cycling is on the street; where by law cyclists have as much right to be as automobiles. Separate bicycle paths send the message that bikes do NOT belong on the street, which makes it harder for cyclists to use streets.