Action Alert: Stop TxDOT from Deprogramming Bike Share in El Paso

TxDOT is now trying to deprogram bike share in El Paso - in effect stealing the federal money designated for the program. Below in red is the opening of a call to action to the public by Velo Paso. READ THE FULL ALERT WHICH HAS A LIST OF OFFICIALS TO CONTACT. 

Bike Texas has the same alert.

DON’T LET TXDOT DEPROGRAM BIKE SHARE
Save our Bike Share!(updated September 8)
Earlier this year, El Paso celebrated the fact that we would be getting a bike share program.  That celebration was short lived, as TxDOT refused to sign the contract with the Regional Mobility Authority to provide the approved funding, claiming they didn’t think the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funds were appropriate for such a program.  Velo Paso asked you to contact TxDOT to tell them to ‘free the funds.’  Now we need your help again!

TxDOT has asked the Metropolitan Planning Organization to deprogram the Bike Share Program!

Please contact the members of the Transportation Policy Board of the Metropolitan Planning Organization and tell them to save bike share and vote against TxDOT’s request to deprogram the bike share program.

Then join us at the next Transportation Policy Board meeting to speak out against this attack on bike share!

TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD for the EL PASO METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
Friday, September 13, 2013 at 9:00 A.M. [Agenda]
El Paso MPO Office, 10767 Gateway Blvd. West, Suite 605, El Paso, Texas 79935 [Map]

In a September 10, 2013 open letter to the El Paso Metropolitan Planning OrganizationTransportation Policy Board, Velo Paso presented the case against TxDOT. In short, TxDOT is denying federal funds that were targeted for a bike share program. TxDOT's actions are arbitrary and dictatorial. Here's the Velo Paso letter:

Letter to TPB 091013 by jimhtolbert434

Here is the supporting material from the United States Department of Transportation:

Letter From USDOT to TxDOT 061213 by jimhtolbert434

Ironically, TxDOT's foolishness comes at a time that a NYC study shows that bike lanes have sped up not slowed down traffic. (Read the NY Times story too. Also the Grist summary.)

Besides the importance of creating bike infrastructure in El Paso, two other issues with this whole matter are TxDOT's acting beyond their authority and, in effect, stealing money from the federal government.