Action Alert - Trails projects suspended by NJDEP

This action alert was issued by the New Jersey Bike Walk Coalition to save Rec Trails Funding. We at WalkBikeJersey suggest that NJDOT's Local Aid Office would be an excellent steward for this federal transportation funding program.

Nearly $2 million of federal funds that are earmarked for trails projects in New Jersey for 2013 and 2014 have been suspended by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.

The $2 million in trail funding comes from the Federal Highway Administration's Recreational Trails Program (RTP) which is provided for under MAP-21, the nation's current transportation law.

Since the trails program began in 1993, more than $17 million has been awarded to state, county and local government agencies and nonprofits in New Jersey.

The multi-use trail "haul road" at Franklin Parker Preserve near Chatsworth

Little Delaware to spend $13.25 Million on Walking & Biking

The following comes to use from our friends at Bike Delaware.  Delaware ups the ante in the bike/ped arms race in the Bicycle Friendly States rankings.  Can New Jersey keep up to little bitty Delaware?

VICTORY FOR CYCLING: Delaware General Assembly Votes $13.25 Million for Walking and Bicycling

Senator Robert Venables (left), Governor Jack Markell (center) and Representative Helene Keeley (right)

Both the Delaware House and Senate voted unanimously last night to approve a capital budget for the state of Delaware, including an unprecedented $13.25 million for walking and bicycling, a 90% increase over last year’s state commitment to walking and bicycling.
Ironically, the unanimous vote in the Delaware Senate at around 8PM came just a little more than 24 hours after the United States Congress voted to eliminate the main federal programs for walking and bicycling.  As there was not enough time to amend the bill, Delaware’s capital budget also still includes authorization for a state contribution (a much smaller sum of $388,000) to the Transportation Enhancements program, even though that program now no longer exists.
Governor Jack Markell, Senator Robert Venables (D-Laurel) and Representative Helene Keeley (D-Wilmington) all played key leadership roles in this victory for walking and bicycling.  Senator Venables was recognized last year as the 2011 Bike Friendly Elected Official for his leadership.

“Our Governor, his Cabinet, and both sessions of the 146th General Assembly have made historic progress for Delaware in improving the built environment of Delaware,” said John Hollis of Sussex Outdoors and Nemours Health and Prevention Services.  ”These nationally recognized improvements will give all Delawareans opportunities for a healthier lifestyle through walkability and bikeability.”
Calling last night’s vote an “historic accomplishment”, Bike Delaware Vice President Bill Osborne said it “would not have been possible without the confluence of several independent forces. First and foremost is the vision and leadership in both the Executive and Legislative branches of Delaware. Add to that the passion and commitment of the consumers/constituents who evidenced their support. Plus we had the essential benefit of an improved economic forecast that made this a decision of inclusion rather than substitution.”
The $13.25 million total commitment by the state is made of up two separate line items, $10.25 million in the Delaware of Transportation and $3 million in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.  Both Departments are cooperating to create an interconnected network of shared-use trails and pathways that will support non-motorized travel and recreation opportunities for Delawareans and visitors.

The Delaware General Assembly approved $10.25 million for DelDOT to make “Bike and Pedestrian Improvements”

Senate forwards Transport Bill WITHOUT bike/ped funding

The following is written by Tanya Snyder at Streetsblog.DC and is reproduced here due to the importance and urgency of this issue and as she has done a MUCH better job summarizing the issue then I have the time to. 

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted unanimously this morning to pass a two-year transportation reauthorization bill, moving the bill one step closer to passage by the full Senate.

Unlike in the House, where the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has full responsibility for the transportation bill, the Senate splits jurisdiction among several committees, so the saga isn’t over yet by a long shot. The Senate Banking Committee still needs to consider the transit part of the bill, Commerce will get its hands dirty on the rail portion, and Finance is going to figure out how to pay for the whole thing.

Non-Motorized Transportation Takes a Hit
Rarely have bike and pedestrian safety been so squarely at the center of a Congressional boxing match as during the debate over this bill. The fight over dedicated funding for bike/ped projects – much of it focused on the Transportation Enhancements program – threatened the delicate bipartisan consensus for this bill. What emerged was a compromise that placated even the most hardened TE haters like Sens. James Inhofe and Tom Coburn.

To continue reading this article follow the link to the complete story at Streetsblog.DC.

Also make sure you read Tanya Snyder's second look at the Senate Transportation Bill and why she thinks it's not as bad as it could have been.  Also make sure you read the reaction by Rails-to-Trails' Kevin Mills to Tanya's second article (his is the second comment).  He is not so optimistic.

Tri-State: NJDOT to spend more on highways and less on bike/ped projects

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign blog, Mobilizing the Region is reporting of a progressive trend that sees a greater percentage of money being spent on new roadways and increased highway capacity, and less of fixing already broken roadways and on transit (check out their excellent and informative article here).

The percentage of NJDOT's capital program going to road capacity expansion has significantly increased in recent years.

Source - Tri-State Transportation Campaign

Included near the bottom of the Tri-State article is an overview of the loss of funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects in New Jersey compared to the year before.  This year's loss in State bike./ped funding comes on the heels of loosing State funds for bike/ped projects for many years.  At this past year's New Jersey Bike/Ped Summit, I was told by very high authority, that NJDOT once had as much as $8 million in "Bikeways" funding compared to this years $3 million (note - I'm going on memory about the first number so I CANNOT definitively back that numbers up).

Tri-State even gave a run-down of the bicycle projects that will receive State funding and those that will go without.  Most notable, is the lack of funding for the New Brunswick Bikeway which would connect the College Avenue and Cook/Douglas Campuses as well as the New Brunswick Train Station.  While this project is expensive (it would also repave every road the bikeway is on), it also has the potential to see an extreme amount of use being that it would have provided a bicycling option for tens of thousands of college students, as well as faculty, staff and the other local residents.  The project is also 20 years in the making (YES!  20 years!), so it is extremely frustrating to see it left unfunded by the State.  It is not clear how the lack of State funding will effect this project or the others.