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Entries tagged: Earl Blumenauer

Blog contributed by Alliance intern Adam Levine. Photo courtesy of the League of American Bicyclists.

The long-awaited bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue opened in grand style yesterday.

A long list of dignitaries cut the ribbon and took off for a ride down the protected, center-lane route, including District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Minnesota Congressman James Oberstar.

Speaking to bicyclists and advocates from across the city, Fenty declared that “we believe there is room here for everyone—on four wheels, two wheels and on foot.” LaHood added that “America’s Mainstreet” is now “America’s Bikeway!”

The new bike lanes have been in flux for several months, opening and then closing to deal with technical glitches. “Before we officially opened the bike lanes, we wanted to make sure they provide safe areas for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians, and now I’m confident that they do,” explained Gabe Klein, the head of the DC Department of Transportation.

Pennsylvania Avenue is just the latest addition to DC’s network of bike lanes, which city officials hope to increase from 50 miles to 80 miles. The significance of the location, however, did not go unnoticed. “There is no better place for the District of Columbia to demonstrate its commitment to traffic safety than right here on America’s Main Street,” Fenty said.

Representative Earl Blumenauer(OR) just introduced the Active Community Transportation Act, H.R.4722, on March 2nd 2010. This groundbreaking bill creates a competitive grant program with $2 Billion to help communities build bicycling and walking networks. For the first time, communities would be able to compete for multi-year funding to build active transportation systems, just as they do for transit and road infrastructure.

“Too often we take for granted the value of being able to bike and walk to work,” said Blumenauer. “It’s unfortunate that many communities don’t have the infrastructure in place to make active and healthy forms of transportation more accessible. The ACT transportation grants will make it easier for people to get out of their vehicles and onto sidewalks or bikes, boosting both heart rates and community vitality.”

In conjunction with the National Bike Summit the Alliance is asking that you call your representative next Thursday, March 11th at the same time that over 700 Summit participants will have in-person meetings in congressional offices for a Virtual Lobby Day. For all the details, visit the Alliance action center.