In this new year, we are pleased to continue focusing on the practicalities of paying for walking and biking infrastructure and programming across the country. If you are an advocate at a national, state, or local organization interested in state and local funding for walking and biking, we invite you to consider joining the State Funding Strategies workgroup (formerly State & Local Active Transportation Financing workgroup).

This virtual work group brings together active transportation organizations and advocates working to increase state and local funding for walking and bicycling. We have been meeting since 2016 with a mission to develop an understanding of the national active transportation financing landscape for state and local campaigns and create a networking and peer learning locus for developing and sharing best practices. Each month we gather to share updates on our work and learn from a guest speaker who dives into topics such as state-specific legislative updates, funding programs, equity considerations, and campaign strategies. They discuss not just the “what” but also the “how”— lessons learned, effective (or ineffective) strategies, and the tips that they can offer to advocates pursuing similar work. For more details on membership and a list of upcoming speakers, please see below.

More Information About Membership

Members are invited to consider joining based on the following core criteria:

• You are working on and/or are interested in learning more about funding for walking, bicycling, and/or Safe Routes to School in your state or local jurisdiction

• You are interested in building community and learning from others in the field across the country

• You are committed to the broader goal of supporting healthy and connected communities, with a focus on communities bearing the highest burden of inequities

This group’s success depends on the commitment of its members, so we ask for:

• Regular attendance so that trust and a sense of community can be created among the group

• Engaged participation from all members by sharing their expertise via conversations, presentations, and resources

• Contributed time, ideas, and expertise to identify topics of interest and implement strategic activities as identified by the group

Meetings Details and How to Get A Meeting Link

The workgroup meets via zoom on the third Thursday of each month at 3 PM Eastern.  If you are interested in participating, please fill out this form and we will be in touch with a meeting invitation. If you have any questions, email natasha@saferoutespartnership.org.

2023 Upcoming Speakers

January 19th – State Update: Colorado's 2022 Legislative Session and What's Next

In 2022 Bicycle Colorado and Colorado PIRG were involved in some big wins, including SB 22-193, The Air Quality Bill which includes $12 million to support an eBike incentive program for low and moderate-income Coloradans as well as HB 22-1026, The Alternative Transportation Tax Credit which creates a new 50% tax credit for employers offering alternative transportation options for employees such as bike share memberships or transit passes. Tune in to get inspired and hear about lessons learned as well as their goals for 2023. Rachel Hultin, Director of Sustainable Transportation at Bicycle Colorado, and Danny Katz, Executive Director at CoPIRG will join us.

February 16th – National Perspective: VoteforBikes 2022 Campaigns with People for Bikes

Through the VoteforBikes campaign, People for Bikes supported states and municipalities across the country on measures that provided investment in expanding bicycle infrastructure and improving the quality and accessibility of places to ride bikes. Kyler Blodgett, State and Local Policy Analyst at People for Bikes, will share stories and lessons learned from campaigns across the country in 2022.

March 16th – Funding Program Spotlight: Kansas DOT Safe Streets for All Match Program Pilot

Kansas DOT is piloting a cost-sharing program for the new Federal Safe Streets and Roads for All Discretionary Grant Program. This is an exciting step to make a great federal program more accessible. With up to $4 million in state funding available for Kansas's 2022 pilot, this program will help local entities meet the 20% local match required by the federal program by providing successful applicants with a minimum of 10% of the total cost. Haley Dougherty from the Kansas Department of Transportation will share how the program came to be, lessons learned, and updates on what comes next.

April 20th – Funding Program Spotlight: Colorado Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund

Colorado’s State Multimodal Options Fund braids together a variety of funding sources to support walking, biking, and transit. It was created in 2018 and amended in 2021 so that it is funded through 2031. Importantly, it can fund all phases of bike, pedestrian, and safe routes to school projects as well as act as a match for TAP (and vice versa). Some of the state funding includes fees on diesel fuel, retail deliveries, passenger ride services, electric motor vehicle registrations, and short-term vehicle rentals. Michael Snow, Transportation Planning Specialist at Colorado DOT, will join us to share how the program was created, details on how the funding is braided together, and the logistics of administration.

May 18th – State Update: Using Gas Tax for Walking and Biking Infrastructure in Illinois

Staff from Active Transportation Alliance will share about HB 2950, a law passed in 2021 that allows the state of Illinois and collar counties (five counties surrounding Chicago) to spend gas tax funds on walking and bicycling infrastructure like sidewalks and bike lanes. Before this bill, gas tax revenue only went toward new roads. We will focus on lessons learned from the campaign, any tips that they would share with advocates working on similar laws in other states, and any updates on what has come from the changes.