[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1824 Introduced in House (IH)]
103d CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1824
To amend title 23, United States Code, to provide a minimum level of
funding for bicycle transportation facilities and pedestrian walkways,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 1993
Mr. Kennedy introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Public Works and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, to provide a minimum level of
funding for bicycle transportation facilities and pedestrian walkways,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Improvement Act of 1993''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States transportation system requires
greater diversification in order for the country to retain and
improve its economic competitiveness in relation with other
nations.
(2) Bicycling and walking have been overlooked as modes of
transportation by policymakers.
(3) It is possible and desirable to dramatically increase
the number of persons who commute by bicycle or foot; since 54
percent of Americans live within 5 miles of their workplace and
75 percent live within 10 miles of their workplace and, of the
over 100,000,000 bicycles owned by Americans, only 1 in 40 is
used to commute to and from the workplace.
(4) A transportation system that includes facilities for
bicycle and pedestrian transportation provides numerous
advantages for commuters and the Nation as a whole, including
reduced traffic congestion, reduced air pollution, reduced
dependence on imported oil, increased conservation of
nonrenewable resources of energy, reduced deaths and injuries
due to accidents between pedestrians and cyclists on the one
hand and motorized travelers on the other, increased health for
those who travel by bicycle or foot, and improved preservation
of natural habitats, particularly environmentally sensitive
areas such as wetlands.
(5) Traffic congestion is a serious threat to our Nation's
economic wellbeing. In 1989, traffic congestion in 39 of the
Nation's large urban areas cost the country $41,000,000,000 in
travel delays, increased fuel consumption, and increased auto
insurance premiums. Traffic congestion currently causes over
2,000,000,000 hours in delays per year. Over the next 14 years,
congestion on highways will rise by 400 percent and on urban
thoroughfares by 120 percent.
(6) The transportation needs of many parts of the country
cannot be met simply by expanding the size and number of
roadways. In urban areas, one-half of all urban space is
devoted to roads, parking spaces, and other motor vehicle
facilities. Throughout the country, it is infeasible to meet
increased travel demands by expanding existing roadways. For
example, Interstate Route 95 between Miami and Orlando,
Florida, would have to be expanded to a 40-lane highway to meet
expected traffic flows by the year 2005.
(7) Motor vehicles contribute significantly to air
pollution. Cars and trucks generate 80 percent of carbon
dioxide emissions. The average automobile emits 9 pounds of
hydrocarbons and 62.5 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
Accordingly, reduced reliance on cars and trucks can contribute
significantly to meeting the goals of the Clean Air Act.
(8) Diminished reliance on motor vehicles reduces America's
reliance on foreign oil. Currently, approximately one-half of
all oil used in the country is imported. Of that amount, 63
percent is used for transportation.
(9) Nationwide, 20 percent of fatalities on roadways
involve pedestrians or bicyclists, and in cities, the figure is
50 percent.
(10) Constructing bicycle and pedestrian facilities is far
less expensive than building new roadways. A one-mile stretch
of bicycle and pedestrian path costs approximately $46,000. One
mile of a 4-lane highway costs approximately $1,000,000.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are as follows:
(1) To diversify the Nation's transportation system to
enable it to remain efficient into the next century and to
improve our Nation's ability to compete economically with other
nations.
(2) To reduce deaths of and injuries to bicycle and
pedestrian commuters.
(3) To reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, dependence
on foreign oil, and development of natural environments.
SEC. 3. MINIMUM FUNDING LEVEL.
Section 217 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
``(h) Minimum Obligation Requirement.--Each State shall obligate in
a fiscal year--
``(1) not less than 3 percent of the funds apportioned to
the State in such fiscal year under sections 104(b)(2) and
104(b)(3) of this title for projects authorized by subsection
(a);
``(2) not less than 3 percent of the funds apportioned to
the State in such fiscal year under section 104(b)(1) of this
title for projects authorized by subsection (b); and
``(3) not less than 3 percent of the funds made available
to the State in such fiscal year for forest highways, forest
development roads and trails, public lands development roads
and trails, park roads, parkways, Indian reservation roads, and
public lands highways for projects authorized by subsection
(c).''.
SEC. 4. RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION.
Section 109(f) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``bikeways'' and inserting ``bicycle and pedestrian
facilities''.
SEC. 5. PROTECTION OF EXISTING BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.
Section 109(n) of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ``, including bridge projects,'' after
``title'';
(2) by inserting ``, reduction,'' after ``severance''; and
(3) by striking ``major'' and inserting ``or potential''.
SEC. 6. HAZARD ELIMINATION.
Section 152(a) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after ``motorists'' the following: ``, bicyclists,''.
SEC. 7. OTHER USES.
Section 217(h)(3) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by
inserting ``and electric golf carts'' after ``motorized wheelchairs''.
SEC. 8. NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
The third sentence of section 404(a)(1) of title 23, United States
Code, is amended by inserting ``, of bicyclists and pedestrians,''
after ``owners''.
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