Bike/Ped advocacy works! AASHTO rescinds recommendation to limit bike/ped considerations!

Early last week I talked about how the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) request to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)to limit the mandatory consideration of bicycle and pedestrian needs for roadway projects that receive Federal funding. I also discussed how a coalition of bike/ped groups were not going to take this sitting down and fought back against AASHTO's demands.  Well due in part to the hard work of national bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups like the League of American Bicyclists and America Bikes (just to name a few) and thousands of everyday citizens, AASHTO has rescinded their request to limit bicycle and pedestrian considerations.

Take a look for yourself from the email I received from the League of American Bicyclists.  I quote:

Thank you to the thousands of you who contacted the director of your state transportation agency regarding last week’s action alert. Your voice has been heard loud and clear. Due to your combined efforts, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has withdrawn their recommendation to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to weaken the requirements for states to give “due consideration” to the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians when constructing roadways. The League of American Bicyclists, the National Center for Biking and Walking, and America Bikes will be meeting with AASHTO officials next month to discuss this and other important issues.

If you haven't already, please take action to ensure that state transportation agencies do not gut important bike funding. Visit our Advocacy Center and ask your Governor to rescind federal transportation dollars proportionally across all programs.

You can follow progress on these and other campaigns at bikeleague.org/blog. Thanks again for your support.

Even though many projects designed prior to NJDOT's December 2009 Complete Streets Policy continue to disappoint and underwhelm many New Jersey bicycle and pedestrian advocates, it was very unlikely that NJDOT would have gone along with this carte blanche policy to essentially ignore the needs of bikes and peds.  Still, even with a Complete Streets policy at a state level, this is by no means a reason to relax our vigilance on such issues.