Dear Governor Cooper and members of the North Carolina General Assembly,
Help make North Carolina safe for active transportation and invest in roadway designs that benefit cyclists, pedestrians, and entire communities! Active transportation promotes economic development, benefits our physical and mental health, and fosters a clean, energy efficient environment..
In 2013 when the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) adopted its goals of implementing its “comprehensive statewide plan for improving bicycling and walking conditions across North Carolina”, it focused on five main principles – mobility, safety, health, the economy and the environment. The NC General Assembly that same year, defunded that plan and has since directed NCDOT to spend billions of tax dollars on limited use roadway and turnpike projects, while defunding active transportation.
For six years, North Carolina has not funded any stand-alone bicycle or pedestrian projects. Rural and urban counties across the state have active transportation plans and projects that remain unfunded. Unfair financial burdens exist for local communities which limit their ability to: provide for active transportation, improve roadway safety, enrich their quality of life and placemaking, and enhance North Carolina’s economic vitality through a modern multimodal transportation system.
The undersigned individuals, BikeWalk NC and its organizational partners stand with nine other Regional Planning Organizations and other Metropolitan Planning Organizations that represent millions of North Carolina residents.
We ask that the North Carolina General Assembly end the prohibition on state funding and allow for the design, development and construction of Stand-Alone Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects to facilitate safe active transportation facilities. We also urge the General Assembly to consider codification of North Carolina’s Complete Streets Policy.
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