ACTION ALERT

TELL SENATOR MARTINEZ FLORIDA NEEDS TRAIL FUNDING


On September 11, 2007, Florida U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez (R) voted to
eliminate all federal spending on trails and other walking and biking
facilities.

Tell Sen. Martinez that Florida needs more opportunities for walking and
biking, not less.

Sen. Martinez’s vote was in support of an extreme amendment proposed by
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) that blamed bicycle and pedestrian funding for
the August Minneapolis bridge collapse. This claim was made despite the
fact that, since 2006, states have returned more than $2 billion in
unspent bridge project funding to Congress. Coburn’s amendment was
defeated 80-18.

This misguided scapegoating attempt cannot go unchallenged.
Please explain to Sen. Martinez why cutting trail, walking and biking
funds would be a huge blow to Florida.

Bicycle facilities and trails have strong transportation value, produce
zero emissions, support healthy lifestyles and provide economic
development opportunities. We need more, not less, funding for bicycle
facilities and trails. Federal funding has helped to create numerous
miles of highly used bike lanes and trails: the Fred Marquis Pinellas
Trail and Cady Way Trail; regional connectors such as the Withlacoochee
State Trail and the Suncoast Parkway Trail; and the soon to be
constructed 50-plus mile East Central Regional Rail Trail and 49-mile
Palatka to Lake Butler Rail Trail.

After you have taken action, please be sure to ask other Floridians to
act as well. By multiplying our voice, we can convince Sen. Martinez to
do the right thing in the future.

Floridians deserve better transportation choices. Please act now by
visiting the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy "What Can You Do?" page


Thank you.

Laura Hallam, Executive Director, Florida Bicycle Association
Ken Bryan, Florida Director, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy