Projectopalypse IV: Transportation Alternatives?

All drivers, bus riders and cyclists are at some point pedestrians, so what's this about alternative modes?

Streets are for people first. Funding them is essential.

The smallest portion of the Federally syndicated funding goes to non-highway and non-transit projects, and states have the option to claw back any set aside further. The numbers, while large in comparison to, say, nothing at all, disappear in comparison to the yearly apportionment for surface transportation. In the worst case scenario, where states are allowed to redirect 50% of the money meant for people and bikes to programs for roads, it’s possible to claim that less than 1% of the $43 billion will go to “transportation alternatives.”

That’s it $425 million in federal funding for the entire country to build projects for pedestrians and cyclists—on average $8.5 million per state per year. Ever wonder why the city in which you live doesn’t just “fix the sidewalks?”

Forget being enough money to help redesign “active” streets, create a safe network for users of all ages and abilities, or to help kids get to school safely. Forget fo…