There’s an expression: If it’s not counted, it doesn’t count. That’s why Ride Illinois is working with the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) to urge the Federal Highway Administration to include bicycling, walking, and transit in the way they determine how well a road works. Recently released performances measures related to congestion, air quality, and travel time focus only on driving! Along with LAB, Ride Illinois is one of two organizations that has been asked to nationally represent bicycling on the Transportation for America committee that is developing alternative recommendations for the Federal Highway Administration.

Please take action and contact your representatives today! 

From our national partner, the League of American Bicyclists:

The Federal Highway Administration once again ignored bicyclists when determining performance measures for our transportation system.

• Even though Congress just instituted a complete streets policy for the National Highway System (Main streets, arterials and other major roads), FHWA wants to measure performance of the system using a measure for drivers only.
• It measures congestion by measuring delay for drivers, but gives no credit to states or metropolitan areas that invest in biking, walking or transit facilities that reduce congestion.
• Finally, the rule sets goals for measuring air pollutants from transportation, but doesn’t include greenhouse gases.

If these draft rules are implemented, they will hinder the ability of local governments to implement complete streets, build protected bike lanes, etc. We have changed federal policy before. Let’s do it again.

Read more about the rule and how it will affect biking.