Stimulus Funding: Repair Our Roads or Expand Our Highways?

Contact:

Katie Eukel                                                                  John Bailey
Transit for Livable Communities                                     1000 Friends of Minnesota              
651-767-0298 x115                                                       651-315-1477
KatieE@tlcminnesota.org                                             jbailey@1000fom.org

Stimulus Funding:  Repair Our Roads before Expanding Metro Highways

Local Organizations Call on State Transportation Leaders to Prioritize Repair and Provide Transparent Decision-Making

[SAINT PAUL, MN] — Cities, counties, and MnDOT have submitted transportation project lists dominated by requests for repair of streets, sidewalks, and trails, but a proposal to fund two proposed highway expansion projects could eat up the bulk of the metro area stimulus money.

At three meetings between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in the Metropolitan Council Chambers on Wednesday (March 18), the Transportation Advisory Board of the Metropolitan Council and MnDOT will discuss the allocation of the metropolitan portion of transportation funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), known as “the stimulus package.” The metro portion is half of Minnesota’s $502 million in surface transportation program funding. At previous meetings, the Transportation Advisory Board has discussed two major projects - an $84 million expansion of TH-610 and a $171 million expansion of the I-169/494 interchange.

“The Twin Cities region has one of the most extensive highway systems in the country, while our rapid transit system is in its infancy.  It’s time that we focus on the backlog of road repair projects and then add to our fledgling transit, bicycle, and pedestrian networks,” said Barb Thoman, Program Consultant at Transit for Livable Communities. 

States have wide latitude to use the funding, despite erroneous early reports that funds could only be used for highways. A report released today entitled Spending the Stimulus identifies 20 uses for stimulus dollars that would address long-neglected transportation priorities. Sample projects identified in the report would:

• Create jobs that advance a quick and lasting economic recovery,
• Repair crumbling roadways and bridges, and retrofit streets for safe walking and biking, and 
• Provide transportation options that reduce household transportation costs, traffic congestion, oil dependency, greenhouse gas emissions, and vulnerability to gas prices.

Click Here for the full report.

According to a poll released in January by the National Association of Realtors, an overwhelming 80 percent of Americans believe it is more important that the stimulus funding include efforts to repair existing highways and public transit rather than to build new highways.  Repair projects have also been shown to create 16% more jobs, and to do so faster, than those that build new highway capacity.  They also save money; drivers save on avoided repair damage to their cars from potholes, and the DOT saves money through timely preventive maintenance scheduling.

“We commend MnDOT for prioritizing road maintenance in its selected list of projects for Greater Minnesota,” said John Bailey, Policy Director at 1000 Friends of Minnesota. “We would like to have seen a few more transit, trail, and pedestrian projects, but it’s clear that repair won out over expansion in Greater Minnesota, which is great.” 

Initial reports also indicated that states might have only 90 days to allocate the money.  The stimulus package specified that transportation departments get 120 days to allocate half of the money and a full year to allocate the remainder. The money overseen by the Transportation Advisory Board and the Metropolitan Council has a one year deadline.  This should provide ample time for pubic engagement, but to date, no process for engaging the public has been announced.  

Click here for a link to a two-page summary of the stimulus and transportation in Minnesota, which specifies the money available, the deadlines and the decision-makers. 

Click here for a link to a two-page overview of highway system size in the Twin Cities and peer regions.

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Transit for Livable Communities is a regional nonpartisan organization working to reform Minnesota’s transportation system. Through advocacy, research, and organizing, it promotes a balanced transportation system that encourages transit, walking, bicycling, and thoughtful development.

1000 Friends of Minnesota is a statewide nonprofit membership organization dedicated to addressing the important connections between our development patterns and the health of our communities and the environment. Their mission is to promote development that creates healthy communities while conserving natural areas, family farms, woodlands and water.

1,000 bikes for sharing and state-of-the-art bike center set stage for greater metro bike usage

Bike Walk Twin Cities Announces Projects Totaling More Than $4 Million in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Edina

Contacts: Katie Eukel, Transit for Livable Communities - 651.767.0298, Ext. 115
Cathy Kennedy - 612.309.3951
Ryan Maus, U of M, 612.624.1690
Jeremy Hanson, Office of the Mayor, 612-673-2785

Minneapolis (March 10, 2009) – Two ground-breaking bicycling programs, laying the groundwork for the next generation of bike travel in the Twin Cities, were announced today by Transit for Livable Communities (TLC), the nonprofit organization that administers Bike Walk Twin Cities.

Topping the list of new metro investments to increase biking and walking in the Twin Cities were:

• A bike share program, featuring 1,000 bikes located at 75 security kiosks throughout Minneapolis, and
• A first-of-its kind frequent bike rider program, powered by a radio frequency identity system (RFID), which will be installed  in conjunction with the new University of Minnesota Bike Center.

These two endeavors plus four other biking and walking projects will receive more than $4 million in grants from Bike Walk Twin Cities, a federally-funded program to increase biking and walking and decrease driving in the metro area.  Today’s grants are the third in a series of awards announced since 2007 when Bike Walk Twin Cities launched.

“We’re very excited to be part of a national movement that is looking to the future and pushing for innovation in transportation,” said Lea Schuster, executive director of Transit for Livable Communities. “These projects provide Twin Cities residents with more opportunities to get around town while saving money, staying healthy, and helping to reduce global warming pollution.”

The Minneapolis Bike Share Program, which received a $1.75 million grant, will be run by Nice Ride Minnesota, a nonprofit organization.  Bike Share riders will have the option of purchasing a season pass for about $50, and may check out a bike at any time and return it to a self-service kiosk of their choice.  The first 30 minutes are free and additional time is available for a small fee.  In addition, day passes are available.  In Minneapolis, the program will run from April through November.

“Bike sharing will create a more vibrant, healthy and engaged city population,” said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.  “We’ll see business people biking to meetings, parents biking to school meetings, and employees biking to an after-work exercise class. Not only will it transform how people get around our city, but it will position Minneapolis to become the number one bicycling city in the country!” The Bike Share Program is expected to be operational by summer 2010.

The inventive radio frequency identity system, based at the new U of M Bike Center, will permit bicyclists, who install an identity tag on their bikes, to earn benefits and incentives, such as reduced costs for tune-ups and commuter goods by simply validating their bike trips.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the University’s commitment to sustainability,” said U of M President Robert Bruininks “This center becomes more than a secure place to park your bike and change clothes; it’s a community space that rewards existing bike commuters and welcomes new bicyclists to our campus with services to make their rides more efficient and convenient.”

The U of MN Bike Center, which will receive $524,000 in Bike Walk Twin Cities funds, will serve 6,000 cyclists on campus, as well as other commuting cyclists, and will be located in the now dormant Oak Street Parking Ramp transit station waiting area, located at Oak and Delaware Streets SE.

In addition to the RFID system, the center will include an electronic bike trip-planning kiosk, 24-hour accessible secure bike storage, changing facilities, repair service and bike retail opportunities, as well as public meeting space. Construction could start this summer.

Today’s grants are the third series awarded through Bike Walk Twin Cities.  In June 2007, $7 million was granted to 30 projects, and in July 2008, $1.8 million was granted to five projects.

Other projects announced today that receiving Bike Walk Twin Cities funds:

• Saint Paul – Bicycle boulevard on Jefferson Avenue from the Mississippi River on the west to Lexington Avenue, and continued as bike lanes along Jefferson Avenue to the Sam Morgan trail; installation of sidewalks to fill current gaps
• Edina – Bikeway facilities for Wooddale Ave./54th Street/Valley View Road
• South Minneapolis - Cedar/17th Ave. S./Bloomington Ave. corridor biking and walking improvements
• Minneapolis – Pedestrian enhancements on 5th Street NE and 7th Street N

Photo's from the March 10, 2009 press event can be viewed here.

About … Bike Walk Twin Cities

Bike Walk Twin Cities is a federally-funded initiative to increase biking and walking, and reduce driving in Minneapolis and neighboring communities. Working with local governments, businesses, organizations and residents, the initiative provides public education and allocates funds for safer crosswalks, bike lanes and other improvements. (www.bikewalktwinciites.org).

About … Transit for Livable Communities

Transit for Livable Communities, a Twin Cities non-profit organization that promotes a more balanced transportation system, is designated by federal law to administer Bike Walk Twin Cities, a $21.5 million initiative to increase biking and walking, and reduce driving. (www.tlcminnesota.org)

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Commuters To Tell Lawmakers Twin Cities Needs Permanent Transit Fix

More People Giving Up Cars for Buses

Media Contact: Katie Eukel
Communications Manager
Transit for Livable Communities
651-767-0298 x115
KatieE@tlcminnesota.org

Michelle Dibblee
Senior Organizer
 651-767-0298 x110
Mobile 612-310-0087
MichelleD@tlcminnesota.org

Commuters from all over the Twin Cities metro area will testify at legislative hearings to convince legislators to seek additional funds for transit to prevent service cuts and fare increases by Metro Transit and suburban providers.  Despite record ridership levels, the Metropolitan Council is once again considering raising transit fares by 50 cents and cutting bus service throughout the region to shrink a $45-61 million deficit.

Commuters will tell state senators that, despite a drop in gas prices, they use transit more than ever.  They will say that not only has the economic downturn forced commuters to cut costs and use transit but that now they prefer the bus to their own cars.

“I think it’s better for our community,” said Robynne Curlee of St. Paul.  “It keeps us connected.  It makes all the great things our city has to offer accessible to everyone.” 

Curlee said she sold her car two years ago before moving to Asia.  She’s returned to the Twin Cities but hasn’t bought another car. 

“I don’t see a reason to buy another one.  And I can afford one here.”  Curlee lives in St. Paul, and commutes to the Midway area each day.

“Cutting transit service or increasing fares hurts Minnesotans from all walks of life,” said Transit for Livable Communities senior organizer Michelle Dibblee.  “Without new revenue, students, workers, seniors, job-seekers, and other will be cut off from income and opportunities.

Testimony is expected from people who have two incomes but can only afford to own and operate one car, so the husband takes the bus--a bus which is now threatened.

Testimony is also expected from people who recently lost their jobs and need the bus to interview for a new job.

There will also be testimony noting that cutting service could endanger federal money for constructing the Central Corridor Light Rail line that would connect downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Hearings are set for Wednesday, March 4, and Thursday, March 5, 2009.          

The hearings are held by the Senate Transit Subcommittee. Senator Scott Dibble, chair of the subcommittee, and guests from the House of Representatives, will be present. The Wednesday hearings will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, and the Thursday hearings will be at Maplewood City Hall in Maplewood from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

      

Robynne Curlee is available to speak with reporters and producers.  She can be reached at 651-214-5173.