Complete the Streets! Complete the Streets Action Alert! Phone calls and e-mails to all members of the U.S. Senate are needed NOW to support a "Complete Streets Amendment" expected to be introduced on the Senate floor, Wednesday May 11, by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA). This exciting development could result in Complete Streets being included in the reauthorization of TEA-21! After a week-long break, the Senate returns May 10 to debate reauthorization of the Federal transportation program; they hope to conclude that debate later in the week. Your calls and e-mails to Senators are therefore needed before 5.00pm Tuesday, May 10. Senator Harkin is introducing an amendment to the Senate transportation bill (SAFETEA) that would Establish that each State Department of Transportation adopt a "Complete Streets" policy, based on FHWAÕs guidance of February 2000, to fully integrate the needs and safety of all road users into the design and operation of streets and highways Adopt the goals of the 1994 National Bicycling and Walking Study to increase bicycling and walking and reduce motor vehicle crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians Ensure that adequate research is done to support and evaluate these goals, and Establish that Metropolitan Planning Organizations with a population of more than 200,000 shall integrate bicycling and walking into their planning and programming activities in a variety of ways This is an important milestone: it is the first time the Senate has been asked to vote so explicitly on fully integrating nonmotorized transportation into the transportation system. These items are currently not in either the House or Senate transportation bills, and are important elements in the overall America Bikes agenda. Your support for the Harkin Complete Streets Amendment will also send a strong signal of support for the bicycle and pedestrian provisions that are already in the House and Senate bills. In your e-mails and calls please stress that: a) the complete streets amendment proposes policy changes only; it is budget-neutral b) "complete streets" addresses safety and access issues for all road users, not just bicyclists and pedestrians but also people with disabilities, transit users, drivers, delivery vehicles etc. Please call or e-mail your Senator directly or through their Transportation Legislative Assistant. A list of contacts and addresses can be found on the America Bikes website, where you can also find a draft of the Complete Streets Amendment, with an additional fact sheet.

close window