Budget panel cuts $5 million for bike/pedestrian projects
Backing Gov. Scott Walker, the Republican majority on the Joint Finance Committee has voted to eliminate $5 million in state support for bicycle and pedestrian paths from the 2011-'13 transportation budget.
Based on the vote 12-4 vote on Tuesday, state support for transportation enhancements from gas tax and related revenue appears to be short-lived, lasting only one budget, 2009-'11.
According to the Department of Administration, money is limited in the $6.4 billion transportation budget, and the elimination of the spending for improvements to bike paths and pedestrian amenities reduces the overall spending.
Most of the money the state spends on improvements for non-motorized transportation comes from federal funds.
The governor's budget projects that the feds will provide nearly $18 million through the transportation enhancements and bike and pedestrian programs over the next two fiscal years. Another $23 million will be available in congestion mitigation grants, which may be used for bike projects.
Kevin Hardman, executive director of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, said the action by the Joint Finance Committee cuts a valuable investment.
The state money helps municipalities design biking and pedestrian networks, and to make them more usable.
“What suffers when we don’t make those investments is our economic development, and connecting tourist aspects, for communities up north,” he said. “It compromises our health.
“Bicycling is a choice people make to get around and burn calories. What it compromises is our own competitiveness in attracting people to our state, for tourism and a work force.”
Convincing legislators to reinstate the state dollars for bike and pedestrian projects remains the No. 1 lobbying priority for the Bike Fed, according to Hardman.
“What I am being reminded of is that the perception still exists that bicycling is somehow outside of our transportation system or a nice thing to have,” Hardman said. “We’re working aggressively to change that perception. Bikes are legal vehicles on our roadway and should be accommodated in our transportation system.”
Oak Leaf to Interurban: Federal grant dollars have been used to make improvements to the Oak Leaf and Interurban trails in Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties. In his Over the Bars in Milwaukee blog, Dave Schlabowske covers plans to link the two paths with an off-road connection.
162 Comments for "Budget panel cuts $5 million for bike/pedestrian projects"
CG realist May 04, 2011 1:30 PM
I used to be a Harley owner....gave it up because of the insanity of the distracted driver.
JsMom46 May 04, 2011 1:31 PM
Chicago-metro has a HUGE amount of money invested in public transportation -- and a decent system to show for it -- but if you look around the area right now (and over the past 20 years or so) they've been spending money on one thing: Roads.
Interstates, state highways, tollways, county roads, local roads, bridges, intersections, etc etc etc.
Heck, just a few years ago they opened a brand spanking new tollway extension -- I-355 from I-55 to I-80 -- complete with a massive new mile-long bridge, three lanes in each direction, etc.
How can that be?
I mean, if trains, trolleys, light rail etc will reduce the need for roadway expansion and major highway infrastructure improvements, as many people claim, why are they spending a gazillion dollars in & around Chicago on that stuff every single year?
Does Governor Quinn (a democrat) get a huge amount of money from road builders? Does he not care about the environment? Is he slave to the oil companies? Doesn't he care about the health of Illinois residents? What about global warming?
BigJim May 04, 2011 1:32 PM
I wouldn't mind a healthy debate on real numbers -- is $5M too much?
Not enough? Is it an investment that affects savings in other areas
(health care and pollution, road damage), does it attract workers and
businesses? Let's discuss.
Instead, many of you are sweeping it under the rug as a "luxury" item,
with no real discussion of driving sacrifices or ideas for the other
99.2% of the budget.
madcoca May 04, 2011 1:33 PM
Wow. Nice generalizations there. And so unexpected. You wrote: "...only because of narrow sighted people like Walker and those on the right." Thank you for the observation, but I am not of narrow sight.
The option of mass transit is not practical in our situation due to the sprall we have. I'm sure people would love to take mass transit, but to actually get to that mass transit would require driving to it, and then what's the point. I can not comment on Portland or Cleveland and their success with mass transit since I have never been to either city. I would guess they are more centralized and therefore it work for them. For those two supposed success stories, there are several where mass transit is failing (Tampa, FL as an example).
We love our cars. Always have since that evil Henry Ford brought out the Model T. We also like our personal space. I doubt that will change.
puzzled May 04, 2011 1:35 PM
MKE Doer May 04, 2011 1:36 PM
JsMom46 May 04, 2011 1:40 PM
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/trans/75/01/3
engineerchick May 04, 2011 1:40 PM
JsMom46 May 04, 2011 1:45 PM
AceOSpades May 04, 2011 1:46 PM
JsMom46 May 04, 2011 1:48 PM
Driving a few mile to a train depot, not too bad. Once you get off at "X" and have to walk the next 5 miles to actually get to the office, bad.
That's reality in the metro-Milwaukee area.
OK, sure. At 5 AM, take Bus A to train station B to catch train C and then take bus D to work. Repeat at 5 PM Uh huh. And two hours later, I'll already be at work by driving my car the 15 - 20 miles.
puzzled May 04, 2011 1:49 PM