Why Some Congresspeople Want to Go Big on Greenways - Streetsblog USA

"U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-New Jersey) recently introduced the Parks to People Act, which would fund a $300 million discretionary grant program aimed at building greenways of national and regional significance - and not only in America's parklands, as the bill's name might imply. Co-led by U.S. Rep Lucy McBath (D-Georgia), the initiative would pay for all kinds of greenways, which the bill defines broadly as "a hard-surfaced or wheelchair-accessible facility built for active transportation," with preference given to projects that "reduce traffic congestion, improve access to jobs, and lower emissions.""

"Last April, USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy inaccurately claimed that bike lanes universally congest streets by removing lane space from drivers. And in November, House transportation committee chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.) said that he and his Congressional colleagues are "not going to be spending money on ... bike paths or walking paths" when Congress reauthorizes the core federal transportation programs this fall, and will urge his elected peers to focus on "traditional infrastructure" like roads for drivers instead."

U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver introduced the Parks to People Act, a bill designed to expand federal funding for walking and biking infrastructure through a $300 million discretionary grant program. Co-led by Rep. Lucy McBath, the initiative funds greenways defined as hard-surfaced or wheelchair-accessible facilities for active transportation, prioritizing projects that reduce traffic congestion, improve job access, lower emissions, and close gaps in multimodal networks across jurisdictions and state lines. The bill faces significant political headwinds during the Trump administration, as key Congressional leaders and administration officials oppose funding for bike and walking paths, incorrectly characterizing them as congestion-causing distractions rather than legitimate transportation infrastructure.

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