Transportation Alternatives: T.A. Magazine Article: Highway Lobby Blames Crumbling Roads on Biking and Walking Money

November/December 1996, p.4

Highway Lobby Blames Crumbling Roads on Biking and Walking Money

The highway lobby in Washington is taking aim at Federal funding for bicycling and walking, money that has provided NYC with over $65 million for new bike parking, bike lanes and pedestrian improvements. Amazingly, the Highway Users Alliance says that the amount devoted to bikes and pedestrians (less than 1% of the total) is partly to blame for the "national infrastructure crisis." Their bogus claim was sharply rebutted by T.A.'s friends at the Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP) in a study called Crying Wolf. STPP's budget research revealed that nearly half of U.S. highway spending is devoted to highway expansion, despite the fact that about 20% of roads are in "poor" condition. The new highways then add to the maintenance bill. T.A., STPP, and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign are calling for bad roads and bridges to be fixed before new ones are built. If you want more funding for bicycling and walking, and to put the road lobby in its place, tell your Senators.

Senator Al D'Amato
7 Penn Plaza, NY, NY 10001

Senator Daniel Moynihan
405 Lexington Ave
NY, NY 10174

(Or call the League of Women Voters for other legislators 212-677-5050).

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