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In a new report, Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report, the Alliance ranks all 50 states and the 51 largest U.S. cities on bicycling and walking levels, safety, funding, and other factors.

This report comes at a critical moment, as Congress takes up the imminent passage of the next federal transportation bill, which dictates how billions of tax dollars will be spent over coming years. The Benchmarking Report reveals that, in nearly every city and state, pedestrians and bicyclists are disproportionately at risk of being killed, and currently receive less than a fair share of transportation dollars. While 12 percent of trips in the U.S. are by bike or foot, 14 percent of traffic fatalities are bicyclists and pedestrians. Pedestrian and bicycle projects receive less than 2 percent of federal transportation dollars.

“The Benchmarking Report shows that biking and walking are smart solutions to many of our country’s most pressing challenges when it comes to transportation, job creation and health,” Jeffrey Miller, Alliance President/CEO, says.

Click here to download the report and media fact sheet.

The report compiles persuasive evidence that bicycle and pedestrian projects create more jobs than highway projects, and provide at least three dollars of benefit for every dollar invested. The report also highlights the health benefits of active transportation, showing that states with the highest rates of bicycling and walking are also among those with the lowest rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. “The data points to one conclusion: Investing in biking and walking projects creates jobs, leads to more people biking and walking, and improves safety and public health,” Miller says.

John Pucher, a professor at Rutgers University, emphasizes: “The wide range of environmental, social, and economic benefits of walking and bicycling, so clearly documented in this report, justify greatly increased investment in facilities and programs to encourage more walking and cycling, and to improve the safety of these most sustainable of all transportation modes.”

The 2012 Benchmarking Report compiles important state and city rankings, including:

Other highlights from the report include:

• In 2009, 40% of trips in the United States were shorter than 2 miles, yet 87% of these trips are by car. Twenty-seven percent of trips were shorter than 1 mile. Still, Americans use their cars for 62% of these trips.
• While bicycling and walking fell 66% between 1960 and 2009, obesity levels increased 156%.
• Seniors are the most vulnerable bicyclists and pedestrians. Adults over 65 make up 10% of walking trips, yet comprise 19% of pedestrian fatalities. This age group accounts for 6% of bicycling trips, yet 10% of bicyclist fatalities.
• Bicycling and walking projects create 11-14 jobs per $1 million spent, compared to just 7 jobs created per $1 million spent on highway projects. Cost benefit analysis show that up to $11.80 in benefits can be gained for every $1 invested in bicycling and walking.
• On average, the largest 51 U.S. cities show a 29% increase in bicycle facilities since the 2010 report. Cities report that 20,908 miles of bicycle facilities and 7,079 miles of pedestrian facilities are planned for the coming years (much of this contingent upon funding).

Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and made possible through additional support from AARP and Planet Bike. To view rankings of the 50 states and 51 largest U.S. cities, and to download or purchase a hard copy of the report visit http://www.PeoplePoweredMovement.org/benchmarking.

Now is our chance!

While we continue to work to preserve federal funding for bicycling and walking, there is an opportunity this week to ensure that federally funded transportation projects accommodate the needs and safety of all users—including pedestrians and bicyclists. This would be a real chance to see Complete Streets policies enacted in every state.

On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will consider an amendment offered by Alaska Senator Mark Begich to provide safe and adequate accommodations for all users in all federally-funded street projects. This means safer roads for everyone, including those who walk, bicycle, ride transit, or drive cars.

According to the National Complete Streets Coalition: “This important amendment would ensure that future transportation investments made by state Departments of Transportation improve safety for everyone… More than 300 communities — including states, MPOs, counties, and towns of all sizes — have already said they will plan their streets in this manner. With additional guidance and support for Complete Streets from the federal level, these localities will have an easier time building the roads they want - roads that make their communities healthier and wealthier.” (Click here for additional details on the amendment.)

We need you to voice your support TODAY for the Senator Begich amendment to S. 1950 on “safety for motorized and nonmotorized users.” Please visit the Safe Routes to School National Partnership’s online action center — and share the link with your members and supporters. If your Senator is on the Commerce Committee, you will see a letter asking them to vote for the Begich amendment. If your Senator is not a member of the Commerce Committee, you will instead see a letter asking them to cosponsor Complete Streets legislation.

This is the first time in more than six years that our federal representatives will take a vote on Complete Streets language — please, take action TODAY!

The actions of the U.S. Congress can sometimes feel distant from your day-to-day advocacy. But the dollars your state receives from critical federal programs play an integral role in building the infrastructure that you and your members use every day. In coming weeks, we expect these critical programs to come under fire in Congress.

So, now more than ever, building and cultivating relationships with your Congressional delegates is critical to protecting and advancing bicycle and pedestrian issues. Are you gearing up for the National Bike Summit in March? Are you mobilizing members in your home community to defend key bike-ped programs, like Transportation Enhancements? Sign up for our “Working with your Congressional Delegates” Mutual Aid call tomorrow Wednesday, February 9, at 2 p.m. EST for insight into successfully engaging your members of Congress and making a difference in Washington, DC.

Our panelists will include:

• Tyler Frisbee, legislative assistant to Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), who has an insider’s perspective on how to engage and influence folks on Capitol Hill
• Lois Moss, executive director of Walk+Roll, who recently swayed a key conservative to become the first Republican cosponsor of the federal Complete Streets bill
• Robin Stallings, executive director of Bike Texas, who helped set the foundation for the federal Safe Routes to School program and knows how to talk bike-ped issues with red state politicians
  

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain knowledge about the inner workings of Capitol Hill, hear from successful advocates, ask questions and share your experiences. Register by 3 p.m. EST today to ensure you get the briefing memo and then join us tomorrow at 2 p.m. EST for this engaging, interactive discussion.

We know that federal policy can feel far removed from your day-to-day efforts to improve biking and walking in your community. But Congress is gearing up for a crucial vote that could dramatically impact funding for bicycling and walking. In this tough budget climate, we’ll need a tidal wave of support to preserve popular and cost effective programs that fund active transportation projects.

To get you geared up for action, we hosted our latest Federal Policy Call with America Bikes yesterday. Here are the highlights and action items from that call. You can download the full recording of the call from our Resources Library

New Study Shows Biking and Walking Projects Create More Jobs

American Bikes contracted with the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts on a new job-creation study focused on Baltimore, Maryland. The research showed that nearly twice as many jobs are created from biking and walking projects than regular road construction. The report (click here to access it in our Online Resource Library) is getting widespread attention, including this piece in Fast Company magazine. America Bikes hopes to work with other cities and towns to get similar data. If you’re interested in helping facilitate such a study in your area, e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Important Change to House Rules

At the start of every new Congress, members of the House sit down and look at their rules. This time they made several changes that effect transportation funding. Generally speaking, federal programs go through two committees: one that determines policy and the other that determines funding levels. But, for the past decade, transportation funding has been different than any other federal program. Since 1998, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has determined both the policy and funding levels. Now, under the new rules, transportation will have to go through the appropriations like all other federal programs. That makes things a little more difficult for advocates.

Another unique aspect of transportation funding was the certainty provided by SAFETEA-LU — the federal transportation bill passed in 2005. It set levels of funding through 2009, specifying how much would be spent on each program. But, the latest extension of SAFETEA-LU expires on March 4. Congress will have to determine new funding levels for transportation and, because of the rule change, it will be appropriations, instead of T&I, leading that decision. The unfortunate reality is the committee will be looking to make dramatic cuts.

Maintaining funding at the 2009 level is a tough sell, because that would put the Highway Trust Fund into deficit spending. Members of Congress clearly aren’t keen on that idea. To only spend what’s in the Trust Fund, though, would mean as much as a 30 percent cut across the board — a drastic, and thus unlikely, scenario. But, it’s possible programs that fund biking and walking — Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes To School — could come under attack, and even be zeroed out.

So the grassroots ground game in the coming weeks will be critical. We need to show members of Congress that biking and walking programs are popular and cost-effective. Just as important, we need to show elected officials that it’s not worth disappointing thousands of voters to save such a small amount of money in the grand scheme of a large deficit. The stronger our showing now, the less likely our programs will come under attack again. So get ready: The very strong likelihood is that a House vote will happen the week of February 28th.

New Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

It’s been determined that T&I will have 61 members: 33 Republicans and 28 Democrats. A full 19 of the 33 Republicans are freshmen, which means they’re coming in with very little knowledge of how transportation has been done in a past and therefore facing a huge learning curve. The committee is also smaller than it has been in the past and, because of the push to eliminate earmarks, many experienced members jumped ship for more prestigious committee assignments.

Mica Listening Sessions

Congressman John Mica (R-Florida), the chair of T&I, will be holding listening sessions in the districts of new committee members before he writes the transportation bill. This is a vital opportunity to get out to these meetings and make sure our issues are heard. We’re confident these meetings will start around February 18th and run two to three weeks, but we don’t have the exact dates and times yet. It’s likely we’ll only get a week’s notice of these meetings, so, if you have a new member on the T&I committee (click here for a list), keep your eye out. We’ll let you know as soon as we do.

In-district Meetings with Members of Congress

After the mid-term election, America Bikes compiled a list of 191 members of the House who could be important in a vote on transportation. Over the past month, we’ve been working with advocates in those key districts to set up meetings with their members of Congress. Because we’re expecting a vote the week of February 28th, getting those meetings scheduled over the next several weeks is absolutely crucial. If you haven’t been contacted about setting up a meeting but would like to get involved, please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at the Alliance.

If you have been contacted, you will receive (or may have already received) materials from America Bikes and the Alliance, outlining recommended talking points. For additional resources and inspiration, click here and here for two great examples of handouts highlighting the benefits of bicycling from the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. And check out this helpful resource from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (Sections 2-4 especially), which lists Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements funding in your state.

For members who have been supportive of biking and walking is the past, we want to express our gratitude and ask if they will be willing to speak on the House floor about the importance of these funding programs. For members who are new to Congress, we want to educate them on all the benefits of biking and walking and ask that they support continued funding of programs that fund these popular, cost-effective projects. In all cases, please report back to us what your member of Congress says and the results of your meeting. Again, federal policy may feel remote, but this upcoming vote is incredibly important. Being vocal and engaged in the next few weeks could make a lasting impression and reduce the number of battles we have to fight to preserve or reinstate federal funding in the future.

Messaging and Messengers

When planning and executing your meetings with members of Congress think strategically about who attends. If you have a personal connection or have an ally who has a personal connection to that member, bring him or her along. Invite bicycle supporters from the business community, the tourism industry or sympathetic local elected officials. Don’t overcrowd the room — three to six people is ideal — but think about and recruit messengers that will have the greatest ability to influence that member of Congress.

Get Ready for Action!

As we’ve said, we don’t know the exact date, but we’re confident that a House vote on federal transportation funding will happen the week of February 28th. Please understand the importance of this vote and forgive any duplicate messages from national bicycle and pedestrian organizations. We will likely need a large push from the grassroots to preserve funding in the House — and we may need that tidal wave of public reaction in as little as 24 hours. Please stay tuned for these critical alerts and be prepared to mobilize your members!

Don’t hesitate to contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at the Alliance for additional resources or assistance.

For many, the 2010 National Bike Summit had a clear highlight. Ray LaHood, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, didn’t just show up and give lip service to the assembled bicycle advocates. He literally jumped on a table, broadcasting in enthusiastic form his commitment to elevate biking and walking to equal status as the automobile. Not surprisingly, LaHood’s message — and theatrics — drew media headlines and made an impression in the halls of Congress.

Now you can broadcast your message to Congress in dramatic form, too — no table-leaping required.

The National Bike Summit was also the start of the PeopleForBikes.org campaign. The ingeniously simple idea came from the Bikes Belong Foundation, an organization funded by the bicycle industry to improve funding, infrastructure and policies related to biking. The reality: Social and political change are built on strength of numbers. The idea: Unite one million voices across America to show Congress there’s a big, broad, vocal constituency that cares about bicycling.

“Every day, millions of Americans ride for their health, for the environment, for their communities, and for the pure joy of bicycling,” the group’s president, Tim Blumenthal, said in a press release launching PeopleForBikes.org. “But until now, only a fraction of riders have stood up to help improve bicycling in America. PeopleForbikes.org is going to change all that. We’ll build on the expert work of existing bike advocacy groups – our partners – to develop a powerful movement with the clout and influence to get things done. That means promoting bike-riding on an individual level, but also sending a unified message to our elected leaders, the media, and the public that bicycling should have their full support.”

And here’s the beauty of the Bikes’ Belong campaign. It’s not complicated. To be part of this tidal wave of public opinion, you don’t even have to change out of your pajamas. You don’t need to travel to the nation’s capital. You don’t have to write a letter or buy a stamp. Just surf on over to the Web site. Give your name and email. Take the pledge.

That’s it.

Over the past six months, PeopleForBikes.org has built an army. Lance Armstrong signed the pledge and even sported the campaign’s decal on his bike during the Tour de France. The beer makers at New Belgium Brewing Company invited PeopleForBikes.org to join their popular Tour de Fat festivities in cities across the nation. Even beyond the bicycle world, marketing magazine Fast Company took a shining to the campaign, touting PFB’s “ingenious bike branding campaign that presents a refreshingly sunny view of life on two wheels.”

With more than 7 million media impressions, the PFB movement is building. It took the campaign more than four months to hit 50,000 signatures. But then, last week, this announcement hit my inbox: “PFB tops 100,000 pledges in support of bicycling!”

“Only a month ago, we were at 60,000 pledges,” Blumenthal wrote in the message. “We’ve nearly doubled in the last 30 days — that’s major momentum!”

Which begs the question: Are you for bikes? Can you spare 20 seconds for safer streets that accommodate bicyclists? Will you add your name to this Million Cyclist March?

It doesn’t matter if you ride a mountain bike or a city commuter; if you bomb down remote dirt trails or carefully navigate crowded urban streets; if you use your bicycle as your primary means of transportation or just dust it off for the weekend joy ride. Even if — no, especially if — you don’t ride a bike at all, because you don’t feel safe two-wheeling around your community, this campaign is for you.

Sign the pledge now.