Senator Coburn lets bike/ped funds live... but only temporarily

September 15, 2011 - Last night, the Senate passed a six-month extension of the current federal transportation bill.  The President is expected to sign it today.

Without an extension, the bill’s expiration would have resulted in a national shutdown of funding for transportation at the end of this month.  

Senator Coburn was using this potential disaster as leverage to try to force an amendment to cut “Transportation Enhancements” funding.  This funding has been the primary funding source for sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, and trails for 20 years!

California’s own Senator Boxer stood strong for bike/ped funding, and Senator Coburn ultimately relented.  But Senator Coburn did so with the understanding that bike/ped funding is up for debate when the new, longer-term federal transportation bill is passed.

Keeping bike/ped funds safe for now is something to celebrate.  But we’ll need to be even more vigilant in the debate over the new federal transportation bill – especially when some Congress members have been talking about a 30% cut to public transportation funding.

Stuart Cohen, TransForm’s executive director, met with Senator Boxer’s staff in Washington, DC today.  He learned firsthand that the huge outcry from people like you helped embolden Senator Boxer to defend bike/ped and transit funding – so let’s keep showing her how urgent this is!

Email Senator Boxer right now to thank her for her leadership and to ask her to find solutions for six months from now.