Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) presented its “Active Transportation for America” report to Congress via Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), who serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The report quantifies-for the first time-the national benefits of bicycling and walking.
Putting figures to facts, the report documents the transportation, energy, climate, public health, and economic benefits of bicycling and walking. Never before has the case been made so clearly that relatively modest federal investment in bicycling and walking can save Americans tens of billions of dollars each year. The report compiles success stories from communities across America to show the potential to realize these benefits.
“The report shows that modest increases in individuals bicycling and walking could lead to an annual reduction of 70 billion miles of driving, and more substantial increases could avoid 200 billion miles each year,” says Thomas Gotschi, research director for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. This could cut oil dependence and climate pollution from passenger vehicles by 3 to 8 percent, out-performing the historic contribution of other prominent solutions such as gas-electric hybrid vehicles.
Authored and produced by RTC with funding support from Bikes Belong, the “Active Transportation for America” report's intent is to raise awareness about the contribution bicycling and walking can make to our transportation system with increased investment. The “Active Transportation for America” report can be found online at www.railstotrails.org/ATFA.
