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Just hours after the Dangerous By Design report revealed an ongoing epidemic of pedestrian deaths on American roadways, 10 U.S. Senators introduced the Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2011 yesterday. Led by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), the measure would direct states and regions to adopt policies to provide for the needs of all users of the transportation system, including people of all ages and abilities who are walking, bicycling, and taking the bus.

“In many places across the country, there is a complete lack of sidewalks and bike lanes,” Senator Tom Harkin said in a press release. “This not only makes our roadways more dangerous for pedestrians, it discourages people from being more active by walking or riding a bike. The legislation I am introducing today aims to address this issue by making streets safer for everyone and promoting healthier living. It is truly a double win for our communities.”

Thanks to the hard work of the National Complete Streets Coalition — and advocates at the state and local level — momentum is building in Congress. The Senate bill comes on the heels of a measure introduced in the House earlier this month by Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Steve LaTourette (R-OH). The Coalition’s Executive Director, Barbara McCann, highlighted those efforts in a story that aired on National Public Radio yesterday.

“Senator Harkin and the other sponsors of this measure recognize that we must do more than fix hazards after-the-fact,” McCann said in a press release. “Complete Streets policies at the state and local level are already proving that routinely providing for the needs of everyone using the roadway results in dramatic safety improvements. Our Coalition thanks Senator Harkin and all the co-sponsors for working to ensure that federal investments create safe streets for everyone.”

Read more about both bills on the Complete Streets blog.

Last week, Congresswomen Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Congressman Steven LaTourette (R-OH) introduced HR 1780, the Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2011, into the U.S. House of Representatives.

The measure would help ensure safe travel for millions of Americans by directing states and regions to adopt policies to provide for the needs of all users of the transportation system, including people of all ages and abilities who are walking, bicycling, and taking the bus. According to the National Complete Streets Coalition: “A federal provision would lead to policies in every state and every Metropolitan Planning Organization that will transform transportation planning practices to routinely provide for everyone using the roadway – whether they are walking, bicycling, driving, or catching the bus or train. It would likely be folded into the federal transportation authorization bill.”

“We are so pleased to have Congressional champions who are committed to creating safer streets,” Barbara McCann, Coalition Executive Director, said in the press release. “They are being responsive to communities across the country that are adopting state and local Complete Streets policies and want to see a consistent commitment to safety reflected in federal transportation investments as well.”

To move this important piece of legislation forward, though, our partners at the Coalition need your help.

Go to www.completestreets.org/takeaction to use the online form to email your member of Congress to let them know you support H.R. 1780. Visit the Coalition’s resources page for additional information and talking points about the bill.