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December 8, 2016
For Immediate Release


Contact
Nadine Lemmon, Tri State Transportation Campaign (917) 767-7698
Jamie Meerdink, Parks & Trails New York, (608) 217-9202

Capital District, Southern Adirondacks Lead New York in Bicycle and Pedestrian Spending

Dedicated funding for biking and walking infrastructure leads to increased safety of vulnerable road users

An analysis by Parks & Trails New York and Tri-State Transportation Campaign reveals that the Capital District and Southern Adirondacks have the highest rate of investment in safer walking and biking facilities in the state. Of the total transportation dollars spent in New York State Department of Transportation’s Region 1 (Albany, Essex, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, and Washington Counties), 6.96 percent went to facilities such as sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and trails. As the fifth anniversary of the Complete Streets law approaches, groups praised those who are leading the effort to make it safer to walk and bike in our communities and called on the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and the New York State Legislature to do more to ensure consistent implementation of the law across the state.
 
The analysis reviewed the State Transportation Improvement Plan that lists all transportation projects receiving federal funding in the eleven regions of the state. Upstate, the Buffalo region (NYSDOT Region 5) had the second highest rate of investment (6.26 percent), while other upstate regions had a much lower rate of investment, ranging from 2-3 percent. It is understandable that rural areas will have lower levels of investment than urbanized areas. Long Island, however, with some of the most dangerous roads in the state, had the lowest rate of investment in the state—0.53 percent.
 
Low overall investment levels can, in part, be traced to a loophole in the 2012 New York State Complete Streets law. The law mandates consideration of all roadway users in transportation projects that use state and federal funds. However, the law excludes “resurfacing, maintenance and pavement recycling” projects, which now account for 70 to 75 percent of the federally-funded projects in the state.
 
Despite this loophole, transportation planners in Region 1 have found a way to increase spending levels for biking and walking infrastructure by proactively setting aside dedicated funds for these facilities, ensuring a minimum level of investment in alternative transportation is met. The Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) and the Adirondack/Glens Falls Transportation Council (A/GFTC), the metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) which are responsible for programing all federal transportation dollars, are unique among other MPOs in New York State because they have a dedicated line in their budget for walking and biking infrastructure ($1 million annually for CDTC and $200,000 annually for A/GFTC). The leadership of Michael V. Franchini, Executive Director of CDTC, Aaron Frankenfeld, Executive Director of A/GFTC, and Sam Zhou, Director for NYSDOT Region 1 has shown that better implementation of Complete Streets is possible. Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy and Senator Richard Funke led the effort to secure dedicated dollars for communities in the state budget in 2016; ultimately, the effort was not successful.
 
Advocates called for a legislative fix for the loophole in the five-year-old Complete Streets law, removing the exemption for certain classes of maintenance and resurfacing work where large gains in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure could be achieved most cost-effectively. They also encouraged MPOs to follow the lead of the Capital District by adding a dedicated line in their budget for walking and biking infrastructure. The funding recently allocated by NYSDOT to accompany the new Pedestrian Safety Action Plan is focused on pedestrian facilities, not bicycling infrastructure and multi-use trails; dedicated state funding for this infrastructure is needed to complement the pedestrian safety efforts.
 
Investing in Complete Streets, including sidewalks, bike lanes, and multi-use trails, is critical for the safety of transportation users, but it also can be a boon for downtown revitalization, tourism, and public health, with increased walking and biking resulting in more livable communities. Funding that makes it safer and easier to walk and bike is also a method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
 
“Region 1 of New York State’s Department of Transportation is to be commended for leading the way in funding critical pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to create complete streets in the Capital Region!” said Assemblymember Patricia Fahy (D, Albany). These investments are integral to increasing small business growth by spurring local economic development and downtown revitalization efforts, as well as improving public health. Targeted funding is the best way to increase this needed bike/ped infrastructure and complete streets throughout New York State. I look forward to working with fellow legislators and local officials to replicate Region 1’s success.”
 
“Walkability and bikeability are vital components in our transportation infrastructure that can help grow jobs, the economy, and quality of life in communities across New York,” said Senator Rich Funke (R-C-I, Fairport). “While we’ve made progress when it comes to supporting walkable and bikeable options, more remains to be done. I look forward to continuing our bipartisan push to make those who walk and bike a priority for transportation funding moving forward.”
 
“The analysis shows that this gaping loophole in the complete streets law has unfortunately resulted in many more roads remaining unsafe for users such as walkers and bikers despite the laws intent to increase safety, ” said Veronica Vanterpool, Executive Director of Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “It is simply unacceptable that the vast majority of road work is not required to follow this law. We urge the commissioner and the NYS legislature to close this loophole by amending the law to include maintenance and rehabilitation."
 
“Kudos to CDTC and A/GFTC for helping communities to build the sidewalks, bike lanes, and multi-use trails that make walking and biking real transportation choices,” said Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York. “By dedicating funding, they’re making Complete Streets a reality in Region 1. Hopefully, state legislators and transportation planners elsewhere in the state will follow this excellent model.”

“Ensuring that New Yorkers can walk safely in their communities is critical to making our state an attractive place to age and retire. New Yorkers 65 and over are three times more susceptible to pedestrian fatalities than younger New Yorkers," said David McNally, Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy for AARP New York. “AARP applauds Capital District transportation planners for the foresight to do what the state has not: specifically set aside transportation funding to build safe infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists. AARP thanks Parks & Trails New York and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign for this analysis – and urges planners around New York to adopt the Capital District’s best practice.”

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Parks & Trails New York is New York’s leading statewide advocate for parks and trails, dedicated since 1985 to improving our health, economy, and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space.

Tri-State Transportation Campaign is a non-profit organization working toward a more balanced, transit-friendly and equitable transportation system in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Copyright © 2016 Tri-State Transportation Campaign, All rights reserved.


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