Recreational Trails Program

We all hate it, but its forced upon us. Any local political issues we should know about ??

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Recreational Trails Program

#1 Post by john »

The following is from an email from Eric Troyer.
The Recreational Trails Program is the single biggest funder of trails in Alaska. If you support this program please read below. If you are uncomfortable with calling, consider sending an email. Contact information here: http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/
Dear Eric,

The full Senate is gearing up to vote on its version of a transportation bill—and yet another attack on funding for trails, walking and biking has surfaced!

We need your help now. Call your senators and help defend critical funding for trails, walking and biking.

Call Now

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has introduced an amendment that eliminates the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)—the nation's largest dedicated source of funding for trails, walking and biking. This program also funds the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and helps people like you and me stay healthy, get outdoors, support our local economy and get where we need to go.

Trails, protected bikeways, sidewalks, crosswalks and safe routes to school are essential parts of our transportation system—and TAP helps fund thousands of these projects across the country.

But Sen. Lee has introduced an amendment (S.A. 2280) to eliminate this critical program.

Congress has debated transportation legislation over the past month, and every time an attack on TAP has surfaced, supporters like you have rallied to defend it with your emails and phone calls. It's working, but we need your support once more. Help us defend funding for TAP and for safe places to walk and bike in your community by calling your senators now.

The Senate could vote on this legislation as early as this weekend, and it’s important that your legislator hear from you right away. Call your senators using the information below:

Sen. Lisa Murkowski - (202) 224-6665
Sen. Daniel Sullivan - (202) 224-3004

If your senators' information does not appear above, please call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121 to be connected to your senators' offices.

Simply deliver this short message:

“My name is Eric Troyer from Fairbanks, and I'm calling about the Senate's transportation bill. Please support funding for the Transportation Alternatives Program, or TAP, and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) within it. I ask that my senator vote against Sen. Mike Lee's amendment (S.A. 2280) and any other attempts to eliminate TAP and funding for walking, biking or recreational trails. We should be supporting these modes of transportation, not limiting them. Thank you.”

Then tell us about your call. This important step will help us effectively advocate for biking, walking and trails.

Please take this simple action now. A vote could happen as soon this weekend!

Thanks for doing all you can for walking, biking and trails in your state—and across the country!

Sincerely,

Patrick Wojahn
Director of Government Relations

Marianne Wesley Fowler
Senior Strategist for Policy Advocacy
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

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TheBearAk
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Re: Recreational Trails Program

#2 Post by TheBearAk »

response from Dan Sullivan:

Thank you for contacting me regarding S.705, the Transportation Alternatives Program Improvement Act. I appreciate your thoughts on this matter and welcome the opportunity to respond.

In 2013, the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) was authorized under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). This program gives states access to federal transportation dollars to fund local bike and pedestrian infrastructure projects. Currently, half of the program's funding is distributed to metropolitan areas, smaller cities and rural areas based on population and the other half is distributed directly to each states for projects throughout the state, regardless of population.

S.705, the Transportation Alternatives Program Improvement Act addresses potential concerns by shifting a greater percentage of TAP funds to the part of the program based on the population of the area.

In June, the Senate Environment and Public Works committee passed the bipartisan DRIVE ACT, a long-term highway reauthorization bill. The DRIVE Act included provisions similar to S.705 but will instead distribute all of the TAP funds directly to local governments based on populations.

This bipartisan six-year highway reauthorization bill now awaits action by the three other U.S. Senate committees of jurisdiction – Banking, Commerce and Finance – to pass their respective parts of the overall highway reauthorization bill. As this bill moves through the Senate, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

Thank you again for contacting me on this issue. If you have any more questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me or my staff. My office can be reached at 202-224-3004, or online at www.sullivan.senate.gov.
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