The Velo
PasoBicycle-Pedestrian Coalition attended the Camino Real Regional Mobility
Authority's (CRRMA) monthly meeting to support the city-wide Bike Share program
after Bike Texas and
the League of American
Bicyclists sent out an urgent 24-hour action alert.
Raymond Telles, Executive Director of the CRRMA, said that without the $1.6 million from TxDOT, the funding available for the program was now down to just $400,000. All interested stakeholders not only still support the Bike Share project, but Telles announced that Fort Bliss, the Army's second largest military installation in the country, has also expressed interest in joining the Bike Share program.
So, is Bike Share dead? At this point, it isn't, but what will happen next is unclear.
"No final decision has been made yet," said Veronica Beyer, a TxDOT spokeswoman. "TxDOT plans to coordinate conversations with transportation partners to garner more information on how we can dedicate those limited funds to important congestion-mitigation projects around the state."
Community members are disappointed that the funding is being withheld, especially after local agencies and elected officials conducted the required due diligence. Now it seems that bike share has been thwarted by just one or two individuals who are hiding behind the facade of the state agency.
El Pasoans demand to know why TxDOT refuses to fund El Paso's Bike Share program when they funded Forth Worth's bike share with Transportation Enhancement money.
More importantly, community members want to know why TxDOT is telling local governments, regional agencies and the University of Texas what to do.
If you want to save bike share, tell Rep. Joe Pickett, former chair of the powerful transportation committee, and Ted Houghton, chair of the Texas Transportation Commission, that you live in El Paso and see the valuable health, environmental and quality of life benefits bike share would bring to El Paso. Tell them that we deserve bike share just as much as Fort Worth, Austin, Houston or San Antonio.
Email Ted Houghton or call him at (512) 305-9509.
Email Joe Pickett, visit his district office at 1790 Lee Trevino #307, call him at (915) 590-4349 or fax (915) 590-4726.
Follow the local media coverage as this story continues to evolve.
EPTimes: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_23860793/txdot-denies-funding-el-paso-bicycle-sharing-program
KINT
Univision: http://www.kint.com/2013/08/14/buscan-iniciar-con-proyecto-de-trasporte-en-bicicleta/
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