US
Senator John Cornyn from Texas Co-Sponsors
Pro-Bicycle Amendment
Warner-Crapo Amendment
Funding National Safe Routes to School
Environment & Public Works
Committee Passes the Senates’s version of
TEA-3 Bill
Transportation Enhancements Intact; Increased
Funding for Safe Routes to School
Thank
Senator Cornyn for his support of Safe Routes
to School!
The
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
passed the Senate version of the TEA-3 bill on
November 12, moving one step closer to a new federal
transportation bill. Funding for the proposed
national Safe Routes to School program was increased
from $50 million to $70 million a year.
The
Texas Bicycle Coalition is continuing to work
toward Senate adoption of all the elements of
PACE, HR 2568, which includes $250 million a year
for Safe Routes to School and other bike/ped friendly
programs.
Texas
Senator John Cornyn signed on as a co-sponsor
of the Warner-Crapo amendment to the Senate bill,
which increased the funding for the proposed national
Safe Routes to School program.
A
freshman member of the Senate Transportation Committee,
this is Senator Cornyn’s first legislative
opportunity to demonstrate his support for cycling.
Texas bicycle advocates and bicycle industry leaders
have met several times with Senator Cornyn’s
office since March 2003.
“Senator
Cornyn’s office has been very open minded
toward bicycle issues. Texas bicycle shop owners
are looking forward to building a solid relationship
with our newest Senator,” said Hill Abell,
owner of the Bicycle Sport Shops in Austin, President
of the International Mountain Bike Association,
and 2002 Bicycle Retailer Advocate of the Year.
The Senate bill kept the Transportation Enhancements
program intact, with no new categories added.
This is likely due to the landslide vote of confidence
for Enhancements in the House in September. Other
programs important to bicycling, including CMAQ,
Scenic Byways and Recreational Trails are also
continued in the Senate bill.
In
addition to increasing funding by $20 million
a year, the successful Safe Routes amendment solved
other problems in the bill’s language. The
Senate bill now allows projects on any public
road; secondary schools are eligible for SRS;
and the project area was broadened from one to
two miles.
