Subject: "Support Transportation Enhancements and lean Forward into the next millennium."
Dear Secretary Frank Busalacchi: I take seriously the problems of global climate change, impending Peak Oil economic collapse, urban sprawl and other problems caused by our society's obsession with automobiles. I personally ride a bicycle to work year-around, walk and use public transportation whenever possible, and enjoy the health benefits of an active lifestyle. Your administration, sadly, fails to adequately support these life-affirming mobility priorities. Alternatives to motor vehicle infrastructure are sadly under funded. In a November 7th response from your office, you resorted to Orwellian double-speak in an effort to obscure the facts. The truth is that with your leadership the state of Wisconsin prefers to pave our way to the future with over-funded highway projects and little else. Locally, the Badger State Trail, along with 91 other bicycle/pedestrian projects in communities throughout the state, will go unfunded by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Trails, paths, and lanes will not be built because of a funding shortfall. Much of the funding shortfall is because the state refuses to spend all of the Federal designates for Transportation Enhancements on actual pedestrian and bicycle projects. It seems apparent to me that this is because you and the Governor are aligned with interests associated with gigantic highway construction projects. In the next budget it is essential that you make real progress on non-motorized transportation solutions a top priority in the state budget. Transportation Enhancements must be funded at the full 10% of the Surface Transportation funding (or about $15-$18 million per year). Please live up to our state's motto and lean Forward into the next millennium. _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
