Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Transportation Secretary LaHood wants better bike facilities
Yesterday Transportation Secretary LaHood testified at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing entitled Transportation's Role in Climate Change and Reducing Greenhouse Gases. One of his key points is the need for providing better alternative transportation modes, including bicycling. In his blog he only mentioned bike paths but in his full testimony he mentions bike lanes:- We must take action to make all forms of transportation more fuel efficient while stepping up efforts to introduce low-carbon fuels and alternative power sources for all types of vehicles.
- However, even if we were to achieve a 55 mile-per-gallon fuel efficiency standard in the coming years, carbon emission levels from transportation would still only decline modestly. We must implement policies and programs that reduce vehicle miles driven.
- This means providing communities with additional transportation choices, such as light rail, fuel-efficient buses, and paths for pedestrians and bicycles that intersect with transit centers. These options will also reduce household transportation costs, strengthen local economies, lower traffic congestion, and reduce reliance on foreign oil.
- Our strategy also calls for investing transportation dollars in coordination with housing and economic development. By doing so, we can promote strong communities with mixed-income housing located close to transit in walkable neighborhoods.
Comments:
Post a Comment