Hello, So did I get a good or bad response? I can't tell. Is this as good as a promise to restore funding?
Torrey Here is the response from DOT Secretary Frank J. Busalacchi: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding funding for bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the state. Governor Doyle and I share a vision of a safe, efficient, and balanced statewide transportation system for all of Wisconsin's citizens. That includes bicycle and pedestrian facilities. >From your letter and many others I have received as well as through recent >media reports, it is clear that the interest in bicycle and pedestrian >facilities is impassioned. However, I have also noted that there is a >considerable amount of misinformation and misunderstanding as well, especially >in the areas of federal funding, state budgets, and project selections. There are numerous federal programs that pertain to transportation. When discussing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, the Transportation Enhancements Program is probably the most notable, but certainly not the only source. You may be surprised that there is actually no federal funding provided specifically for the Transportation Enhancements Program. Rather, as with all other formula based federal transportation programs, the federal transportation act provides a maximum amount that may be spent for eligible activities in the Transportation Enhancements Program, but no actual funding. Instead, federal formula funding is provided to each state in a lump sum for the state to allocate depending on the needs in that state. Another important issue is that the federal funding lump sum equals only 85 to 90 percent of the total of all of the federal program maximums. The Governor, with assistance from the Department, prepares a budget request, but, in Wisconsin, the State Legislature makes final decisions on the allocation of federal funding in the biennial budget process. Once the budget becomes law, the Department must spend federal funding as directed in the budget. For example, in the 2003-05 biennial budget, the State Legislature eliminated funding for the Surface Transportation Discretionary Program, a key program for bicycle and pedestrian facilities. In the 2005-07 biennial budget, Governor Doyle, recognizing the shortage of funding for such activities, wanted funding for the program restored and included it in his budget request. However, the State Legislature again eliminated funding for the program. Another common bit of misinformation is that Wisconsin only spends about 30 percent of available federal Transportation Enhancements funding. First, the state does not receive any specific funding for the Transportation Enhancements Program. The maximum is actually what we can spend on Enhancement eligible projects, not just through the Enhancement program. Additional federal funding is spent on Transportation Enhancements projects in other state programs. In state fiscal year 2005, the state spent $14.6 million on federal Transportation Enhancements projects about half of which were in the state Transportation Enhancements Program and half in the State Highway Program. That equals over 78 percent of the federal maximum, more than double the 30 percent recently quoted. In fact, over the past six years, the range of spending on federal Transportation Enhancements activities has ranged from $8.7 million to $14.6 million annually, or about 52 to 78 percent of the federal maximums. Plus, additional state and federal funds are spent each year on bicycle and pedestrian facilities, such as separate bike lanes, wider, paved shoulders, and sidewalks, as part of highway projects with additional funding spent in other programs as well. Yet another issue is that the Transportation Enhancements Program funds much more than bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Other federally eligible activities include streetscaping, lighting, and historical transportation facilities. Which projects that are picked to be funded is decided by a selection committee of 13 individuals, including state legislators, representatives from state agencies, local officials, and stakeholders, including the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. Several of the projects picked this year by the committee were not bicycle projects. Also, if additional funding became available there is no guarantee the money would be applied toward bicycle activities. Again, this would be up to the committee to decide which programs were to be funded. Another issue that limits funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects are federal earmarks. As noted in many reports, the current local Transportation Enhancements Program cycle was programmed at about $9 million, or $3.5 million lower than funding made available for the program in the state budget. That $3.5 million "reduction" is due entirely to federal earmarks for bicycle and pedestrian facilities. These federal earmarks did not provide any additional funding to the state, but, because they are federally earmarked, they are mandated and must be funded before other projects, regardless of their priority or importance compared to other projects applied for through the program. Again, thank you for your interest in bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Wisconsin. I hope I was able to clear up some of the misunderstanding and misinformation that is circulating regarding funding for those facilities. I also want to reiterate that bicycle and pedestrian facilities are an important part of the state's transportation system, for recreation, mobility, and access to jobs. As Governor Doyle develops his transportation budget request, all modes, including bicycle and pedestrian, will be considered in meeting the transportation needs of Wisconsin's citizens within the constraints of scarce resources. If you have additional questions or thoughts on this or any other transportation issue, please contact my office. Sincerely, Frank J. Busalacchi Secretary > -------Original Message------- > From: Michael D. Barrett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [Bikies] Trail Funding Action Alert Reminder > Sent: 01 Nov '06 21:07 > > Oh man. Time for some Poli Sci 101. > > Folks, this isn't a mechanical exercise, except inasmuch as DOT is a > *political* machine. And as one of the dead Kennedys once said, > politics ain't mechanical, its chemical. That is, don't expect > instantaneous results but use every opportunity to influence the > system; election season is high season for getting one's input into > the system. Furthermore: > > A) It isn't a matter of whether anything changes in reality between > now and Nov 7, it is a matter of wringing a promise out of them which > can be used against them at a later date. This works as often as it > doesn't (remember, its chemical, not mechanical) but at least there > is a decent *chance* of getting something good, in terms of a > promise, out of them just before an election. Then, yes of course, it > is a matter of "keep[ing] up the pressure." As someone who has been > heavily involved in bike/ped/transit advocacy and political campaigns > for lo these past 16+ years, this is hardly a new concept to me. > Election season is merely a critical juncture that should be taken > advantage of rather than waiting til 7 days afterward. > > B) The DOT Sec'y is a *political* appointee. It is *NOT* a civil > service job! In fact, it has long been the plummiest of plum jobs for > any governor's (Dem or Rep) fat cat cronies. Getting your letter in > now, cc'ing the Governor and the rest of the world (good suggestion > that!) could have a much bigger impact than waiting to a point that > leaves your letter 4 years out from the next election. > > C) Is it a certainty? No way. > > D) I never said give up. Dunno where that came from. I'm merely > suggesting that using the election season as a great big lever (or > cudgel, pick your weapon) might be a good thing. This election is > tightening up. Even the Dems are figuring out the concept of > micro-casting--who knows they might pick up on this wavelength. > Again, no certainties, but it is always worth a try. > -Mike > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
