As Some in Congress Push to Eliminate Funds for Safe Walking and Biking, Fatality Data Shows Deaths in all Congressional Districts

“Biking and walking reduce health care costs by preventing weight gain and keeping hearts healthy” said Robert M. Pestronk, executive director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials. “Local health departments keep people in their communities healthy and safe. Encouraging communities to assure safer routes for biking and walking prevents pedestrian deaths, which occur every 2 hours, and pedestrian injuries, which happen every 8 minutes.”

The Transportation for America coalition is urging the conference committee to pass a transportation bill that incorporates pedestrian safety provisions passed in the Senate’s bipartisan MAP-21 bill. While House negotiators are pushing to eliminate the small programs that fund projects like Safe Routes to School to help prevent deaths and injuries on our roadways, the Senate bill includes funding to fix dangerous road conditions. This funding is included in the Additional Activities program, which arose from a bipartisan agreement to reform the Transportation Enhancements program to narrow the eligibility, provide greater local control and let states redirect the money when there are no eligible local projects.