This page provides the facts on current issues and debates and the ongoing effort by American Trails to continue its 20 years of support for positive policies and funding for trails and greenways. Scroll down for links to opinions, politics, and calls to action from many sources.

Funding for trails in an era of economic challenge

Supporters of trails and bike/ped facilities are watching the new Administration roll out programs and promises. At the same time we see new lows in the stock market, fuel tax receipts, employment figures, and state income. How will funding for trails fare in this challenging environment? People are talking about possibilities:

• A revival of CCC-type employment programs to address natural resource management?
• A drop in donations and volunteers for nonprofit trail groups?
• Elimination of the Recreational Trails and Enhancements funding programs?
• Or more money flowing to these existing programs that touch every Congressional District?
• A giant infrasturucture investment in roads, transit, and other transportation facilities?
• A national service initiative to send more young adults to conservation and youth corps?
• And finally... how can the trails community make the case for more funding?

Looking at reauthorization of the federal transportation program in 2009, the American Trails Board wants our membership and the trails community to read stay current on funding and policies. Transportation directly affects our access to activities and services which we value, defines the very shape of our communities, and determines our ability to take advantage of health, economic, social, and cultural opportunities.

Please join our efforts to document the value of trails and bicycle/pedestrian facilities as transportation infrastructure, and be an active and positive voice in the reauthorization process as well as economic stimulus proposals.

Planning for reauthorization of federal transportation funding

The debate is starting over what programs are essential and how our transportation system will be funded:

• Administration proposes new approach to national transportation programs: A key message is "greatly reducing over 102 federal transportation programs which have proliferated over the last two decades replacing them with eight comprehensive, intermodal programs." Secretary Peters stated that "These programs dilute the effects of federal funding by forcing state and local officials to fund projects such as recreational trails, while projects that would make a difference for commuters languish." (July 29, 2008)

• A press release from Representative James L. Oberstar, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, has a different perspective that one should be aware of in considering where the Congress and next administration may go with the next reauthorization.

Commentary on The Value of Trails As Transportation Infrastructure

The following are some essential items to help trails and greenways supporters understand the current debate over the transportation value of these facilities:

• In a highway bill give-back proposal, the Heritage Foundation recommends giving back earmarked trail projects. Writers Andrew M. Grossman and Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D. refer to trails as "low priority," "low-hanging fruit," and "frivolous projects," and state that they "often benefit only narrow interests and are unpopular to communities."

• Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters' interviewed by Gwen Ifill on the PBS MacNeil Lehrer NewsHour

• Letter from American Trails Board to USDOT Secretary Mary Peters encouraging her to revitalize her past support for trails

• Secretary Mary Peters' Remarks in support of trails, much appreciated by attendees at the American Trails' 17th National Trails Symposium, Austin, Texas, October 2004

• Comment from Katharine Mieszkowski on Salon.com: "The bicycle thief: Bike activists face an uphill climb against Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, who claims bike paths are not transportation and are stealing tax money from bridges and roads"

• Letter from the League of American Bicyclists in response to Secretary Peters interview

• Letter from the Safe Routes to School National Partnership in response to Secretary Peters interview

• After receiving thousands of concerned letters, Department of Transportation Secretary, Mary E. Peters, publicly clarifies U.S. DOT's position on the role of bicyclists and pedestrians in our nation's transportation system. Sec. Peters responded that her comments were not intended to indict bicycle and pedestrian investments broadly, but rather the processes by which transportation funds are sometimes distributed. It is, she noted, U.S. DOT's belief that "bicyclists and pedestrians are legitimate and welcome users of our Nation's transportation system. They are a healthy part of the solution to congestion in our urban areas." Download Sec. Peters response (pdf 212 kb)

• USA Today article on Transportation Bill earmarks for trails: "$8 Billion in pork clogs U.S. infrastructure plans" (Sept. 13, 2007)

• North Carolina Congressman Patrick McHenry says "Returning To The 19th Century Won't Solve Our 21st Century Energy Crisis": see illustration above and his Aug. 4, 2007 video of floor debate on the Energy bill

• Congressman McHenry comments posted on BikePortland's website (SEE GRAPHIC)

  	Rep. Patrick McHenry illustrates his claim that Democrats' energy plan is antiquated

• Wall Street Journal editorial (Aug. 18, 2007) describes SAFETEA as "the bill that diverted billions of dollars of gas tax money away from urgent road and bridge projects toward Member earmarks for bike paths, nature trails and inefficient urban transit systems."

• Katherine Kersten's editorial in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Star-Tribune regarding Congressman Jim Oberstar's funding focus (Aug. 22, 2007)

• Congressman Oberstar's article in response to Katherine Kersten's editorial appearing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Star-Tribune: "The Truth about my Position on Bridges and Infrastructure" (Sept. 8, 2007)

• Rep. Oberstar's remarks on funding structurally deficient bridges

• Senator Tom Coburn's (R-OK) amendment to the Transportation Appropriations Act to redirect federal bike path spending to bridge repair was defeated Sept. 11, 2007

• Senators Bond and Murray respond to Sen. Coburn on trail and bikeway funding

• Sen. Durbin responds to Sen. Coburn on his opposition to bike and pedestrian trails

• The Minnesota bridge collapse and the politics of transportation financing

More resources on transportation funding and the role of trails and greenways

• The League of American Bicyclists Advocacy Center
• Action Alert from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy on trails and transportation.

Your comments and suggestions

• Your comments on these concerns are welcome. Email us at trailhead@americantrails.org.

• To propose additional articles, letters, links, or resources for this page, please email Pam Gluck, Executive Director, American Trails. This is meant to be an educational page, and American Trails reserves the right to turn down any submission that doesn't meet our intent for this page.

Related articles:

Index of articles on federal funding programs

Read more about the debate over funding for trails and bike/ped facilities: