and bike. Access to funds to continue this effort is now threatened.
This is an edited alert from from the League of American Bicyclists:
The U.S. House and Senate are negotiating *right now* to produce a final
federal transportation bill and 20 years of gains on biking, walking and
Safe Routes to School *could be eliminated*.
Only *a strong show of support from local communities *can make sure this
doesnt happen. Please act TODAY to protect federal funding for local
biking and walking.
In March, the Senate passed a bill with bipartisan support that included
the Cardin-Cochran
agreement<http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2012/03/success-a-better-map-21-for-cycling/>,
which allows local governments and school systems to access much-needed
funds to for biking and walking projects and programs. But the House would
prefer to get rid of biking and walking funding by giving states the chance
to opt out of this funding pot completely and take away local
governments ability to access federal funds for small transportation
projects.
If the House gets its way, *Grand Rapids and other local governments wont
have access to funds to build the sidewalks, bike lanes and bikeways* that
make streets safer for all of us.
We cant let Congress eliminate local control. We need the Senate conferees
to stand strong behind their bi-partisan, bike-friendly agreement, and the
House to stand down from their attempt to eliminate local access to these
federal funds.
*Please contact our representatives now:*
Senator Amy Klobuchar (DFL)
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Washington office: *tel: *202-224-3244 *fax: *202-228-2186
Minneapolis office: *toll free:* 888-224-9043; *tel: *612-727-5220; *fax:
*612-727-5223
Virginia office: *tel: *218-741-9690; *fax: *218-741-3692
Olcott Plaza, Suite 105
820 9th St. N.
Virginia, MN 55792
web: http://klobuchar.senate.gov/
email: klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm
(Go to this web address; indicate your reason for contacting the
Senator and click the "Go" button. An email form will then appear)
Senator Al Franken
320 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Washington office: *tel: *202-224-5641 *fax*: 202-224-0044
St. Paul Office: *tel:* 651-221-1016; *fax*: 651-221-1078
Duluth Office: *tel:* 218-722-2390; *fax:* 218-722-4131
web: franken.senate.gov
email: <email obscured>
Representative Chip Cravaack
Washington office: 508 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
*tel: *202-225-6211; *fax: *202-225-0699
Duluth office: 235 Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building
Duluth, MN 55802
*tel:* 218-740-7803 *toll free:* 1-888-563-7390 (North Branch office) *
fax: *218-740-7804
web: http://cravaack.house.gov
To e-mail Representative Cravaack, go to his web site and click on the
"Contact Me" tab, then "Email me" in the drop-down menu