Feds Deem Pedestrians, Cyclists and Motorists Equals
At long last, the feds have said the needs of pedestrians and cyclists must be placed alongside, not behind, those of motorists.
In what amounts to a sea change for the Department of Transportation, the automobile will no longer be the prime consideration in federal transportation planning. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the needs of pedestrians and cyclists will be considered along with those of motorists, and he makes it clear that walking and riding are “an important component for livable communities.”
“People across America who value bicycling should have a voice when it comes to transportation planning,” LaHood wrote on his blog. “This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.”
He goes on:LaHood’s announcement came on the heels of his appearance at the National Bike Summit, where he was greeted like a rock star and told the crowd, “Our mission is the same as your mission,” and “I think we’re beginning to put our money where our mouth is on these issues.”We are integrating the needs of bicyclists in federally-funded road projects. We are discouraging transportation investments that negatively affect cyclists and pedestrians. And we are encouraging investments that go beyond the minimum requirements and provide facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.
And how.
The new policy falls in line with changes the Obama Administration has enacted in the past year. In June, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency announced the Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The partnership will coordinate polices to “help improve access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide.” LaHood’s announcement is a step toward that goal.
What his policy statement effectively says is multimodal transportation (meaning pedestrians and cyclists) will be an “equal” part of all new infrastructure projects getting funding from Washington.
Read the rest of the article on wired.com
This is fantastic.
