Two very diverse states and a federal district. The Greater Washington region of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia is certainly an interesting place to live for many reasons. But it is an even more interesting place to work, especially when working in the policy realm.
Since the release of the Senate transportation bill back in November, we have faced the specter of a transportation bill in which state departments of transportation would make the sole decisions about whether to dedicate any funding to Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking.
On Wednesday, March 14, the full Senate passed MAP-21, a two-year transportation reauthorization bill (more details).
Hi, my name is Kathy Cooke, and I'm network coordinator for the Safe Routes Partnership! Even though I battle daily to get my two sons to put on a jacket or long pants during Portland's rainier months, I've found ways to make sure other "systems" are in place that help them get safely to and from school. We have tools at the ready to fix their bike brakes or pump air in their tires.
March has been quite a month for Congressional action on the transportation bill. Unfortunately, it is looking like the momentum will have a tough time carrying over into April.
Next week I go to the National Bike Summit with several other staff and 800 of my closest friends to promote federal funding for bicycling (and walking). I find it frustrating that after decades of activism we still are not an accepted form of transportation in America in many places!