UPDATE:  Another update from Rails to Trails indicates that the amendment, which would have restored funding to Safe Routes, Rails to Trails, etc, failed to pass by a vote of 27 to 29.

Julie sent in this alert that she received from Rails to Trails yesterday…

We aren’t exaggerating when we say this ask has never been more urgent.

Please read more and take action now.We have until 4 p.m. EST today to have our thoughts heard.

Tomorrow, Thursday, February 2, the Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives will be voting on our nation’s next multiyear surface transportation bill.

There’s no way to spin this: From the perspective of trails, walking and bicycling, the bill is a total disaster.

Among its worst features are:

• It eliminates dedicated funding for the Transportation Enhancements (TE) program—the nation’s largest funding source for trails, walking and bicycling. (Terrible news, but we expected it.)
• It removes the rail-trail category from TE eligibility.
• It completely eliminates funding for the Safe Routes to School program.
• It eliminates funding for bicycle and pedestrian coordinators at state DOTs.

But there’s still a chance…

Representatives Tom Petri (R-Wis.) and Tim Johnson (R-Ill.) are considering the introduction of an amendment in the committee that would right many of the bill’s wrongs.

But they need to hear from other committee members that their amendment has a fighting chance.

Please: Take two minutes and ask your representatives to defend trails, walking and bicycling. We only have until 4 p.m. EST today, so any additional support you’re able to gather will make an enormous difference!’

A follow-up email breathed a cautious sigh of relief noting that an amendment saving the programs mentioned above had already been drafted.  According to Rails-to-Trails “Due to its last minute filing and its becoming the major focus of attention for tomorrow’s debate and vote on the bill, congressional discussion on the amendment will go late into the night.”

Guess we’ll just have to wait and see at this point.