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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 9, 2012 at 6:59am

I got the same thing forwarded to me this morning from a friend:

View a web version of this email.

		Celebrate National Bike Month with the Sierra Club. Tell Congress and your governor: Americans want safer bike options to break our addiction to oil! May is National Bike Month. And as a friend told me yesterday, "Biking feels like flying!" It's true: On a bike, you can smell the flowers, feel the wind in your face, beat the traffic, and help the climate. Everyone deserves access to clean, affordable transportation choices like biking -- but many communities don't have the infrastructure they need to safely replace car trips with biking. With your help, we can do better. Celebrate Bike Month with the Sierra Club by telling Congress and y... What happens when a community gets safe biking options? Well, thanks to a Department of Transportation pilot program, several communities in Missouri, California, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have seen more bikers and pedestrians, safer streets, and an estimated savings of 7,701 tons of climate pollution every year since 2010. 1 Biking isn't just fun -- it also beats paying $4 at the pump. If American drivers traded just one weekly four-mile car trip for a bike ride, we'd save $4.6 billion and 2 billion gallons of gas every year. Tens of thousands of Americans will spend a little extra time on their bikes for National Bike Month, and I hope you'll join them. Start by letting decision makers know: We need safer biking infrastructure. Tell Congress and your governor about these successes, and let them... We're proud to be partnering with the League of American Bicyclists, the National Council of La Raza, and other allies to make Bike Month a big success. Join us by contacting our elected leaders today -- and then hop on a bike for a new look at your community. Thanks for all you do for our environment, Ann Mesnikoff Sierra Club Green Transportation Director [1] LaHood, Ray. "National Bike Month, a good time to put on your helme...

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Permalink Reply by Ken Lee on May 10, 2012 at 8:28am

May 10, 2012

Mr. Kenneth Lee

Chicago, IL 60618 

Dear Mr. Lee:

 

Thank you for your message regarding federal investment in bike and pedestrian paths. I appreciate hearing from you.

 

As co-chair of the Senate Bike Caucus, I share your goal of making biking and walking more realistic options for commuting. Creating this opportunity for people not only helps keep them healthy, it makes communities more livable. These paths connect people to local businesses and are proven to be a cheap yet effective way to help spur economic growth in downtown areas across the country.

 

Under the leadership of President Obama and Secretary Ray LaHood, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is working with other agencies to bring the idea of Livable Communities to the forefront of the debate on how to invest in transportation, housing, and environmental protection. At the core of this idea is the need to build bike and pedestrian paths, which create recreational opportunities in residential neighborhoods and help increase property values.

 

With gas prices rising steadily and congestion continuing to plague our communities, bike and trail projects are beginning to receive the consideration they deserve from DOT and transportation agencies across the country. For instance, in Peoria, Illinois, a $10 million TIGER II grant will fund a Complete Streets network in that city’s Downtown Warehouse District, which will create jobs and revive a part of town that was in need of safe and livable streets.

 

I will keep your support for these initiatives in mind as Congress works toward passing a new surface transportation authorization this year.

 

Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Durbin

United States Senator

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Permalink Reply by Ken Lee on May 29, 2012 at 11:10am

 

May 29, 2012

Kenneth,

Thank you for contacting me to voice your support for increased safe biking opportunities in Chicago and in communities around the country. Your views are important to me and I appreciate hearing from you.

As a bike rider myself, both in Washington and at home in Chicago, I completely agree with your sentiments. Bike riding is a healthful way to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, save money, and to get to work and play while also increasing our fitness. As you know, the Federal Highway Association’s “Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program” demonstrated that in Missouri, California, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, additional cycling and walking networks led to more cyclists and walkers. The program also found these additional avenues of travel in these communities led to fewer fatal accidents and an estimated savings of 7,701 tons of climate pollution every year since 2010.  

I am continually working to raise environmental standards and to put an end to the practices that result in global warming. I am a member of the Congressional Bike Caucus and personally ride my bike in place of driving a car in Washington, D.C. Biking provides exercise, it reduces traffic and contributes to a healthier environment. More bike lanes in our communities means increased accessibility to the benefits of biking and cleaner air. In the future, should legislation pertaining to this issue come before the floor of the House for consideration, please rest assured that I will cast my vote with your thoughts in mind.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts on this important matter. Please feel free to visit my website, www.house.gov/quigley, for periodic updates on my work and to sign up for my e-newsletter, and do not hesitate to contact me again about issues of concern to you. It is an honor to serve you in the U.S. Congress.

Sincerely,

Mike Quigley
Member of Congress

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