Call to Action: Bills to transform how California funds bikeways

Calbike FundingOur California Bicycle Coalition has two hugely important bills that will transform how California funds bikeway projects. Here’s what these laws would do:

  • Implement a Complete Streets policy for state funding: We are thankful to Senator Jim Beall for including sensible complete streets provisions in SBX 1-1 that will make the wisest use of road maintenance funding by including “new bicycle and pedestrian safety, access, and mobility improvements” in every project funded by the state. It calls for sidewalks and protected bike lanes or bike paths in transit-dense areas on most roads with a speed limit over 25 miles per hour.
  • Increase dedicated funding for biking and walking: Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, Autumn Burke, and David Chiu’s ABX 1-23, doubles the size of the Active Transportation Program (ATP) with a $125 million increase. The ATP is the sole source of state funding dedicated to biking walking and Safe Routes to School projects. Last year, the ATP was underfunded by nearly $800 million for shovel-ready walking, bicycling and safe school access projects. ABX 1-23 also includes a bike network grants program that will support local agencies to build whole networks that connect every destination in communities like yours with an unbroken web of bike paths, protected bike lanes, and quiet bicycle boulevards.

Now we need your help. Contact your state Senator and Assemblymember now to let them know that you support implementing strong “complete streets” policies to ensure that state funding is being spent to build protected bike lanes, increasing the Active Transportation Program, and creating a state program to give cities large grants to build out entire bike networks.

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