I
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 mini-
mum level of funding for bicycle transportation facilities
and pedestrian walkways, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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 coun-
try to retain and improve its economic competitive-
ness 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 bi-
cycle 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 facili-
ties for bicycle and pedestrian transportation pro-
vides numerous advantages for commuters and the
Nation as a whole, including reduced traffic conges-
tion, 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, in-
creased 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 conges-
tion 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 pre-
miums. 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 per-
cent.
(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. Through-
out 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 reli-
ance on cars and trucks can contribute significantly
to meeting the goals of the Clean Air Act.
(8) Diminished reliance on motor vehicles re-
duces 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 road-
ways involve pedestrians or bicyclists, and in cities,
the figure is 50 percent.
(10) Constructing bicycle and pedestrian facili-
ties is far less expensive than building new road-
ways. 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 com-
pete 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 natu-
ral environments.
SEC. 3. MINIMUM FUNDING LEVEL.
Section 217 of title 23, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(h) MINIMUM OBLIGATION REQUIREMENT.—Each
State shall obligate in a fiscal year—
‘‘(1) not less than 3 percent of the funds appor-
tioned to the State in such fiscal year under sections
104(b)(2) and 104(b)(3) of this title for projects au-
thorized by subsection (a);
‘‘(2) not less than 3 percent of the funds appor-
tioned to the State in such fiscal year under section
104(b)(1) of this title for projects authorized by sub-
section (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 PEDES-
TRIAN 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 ‘‘sever-
ance’’; and
(3) by striking ‘‘major’’ and inserting ‘‘or po-
tential’’.
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 ‘‘mo-
torized wheelchairs’’.