Photo by volcrano on Flickr.

Some members of Congress are reluctant to spend transportation money on walking and bicycling infrastructure, because in their communities, few walk or bike. Few walk or bike, however, because those communities never spent transportation money on walking and bicycling infrastructure.

This remarkable logic arose in a recent House Highways and Transit Subcommittee meeting last week to discuss the reauthorization of federal transportation programs later this year. Maryland Transportation Secretary John Porcari, chairman of AASHTO’s Climate Change Steering Committee, testified:

Porcari detailed AASHTO’s efforts to support environmental protection and reduce the impacts of global climate change. He discussed AASHTO’s goals of reducing the national VMT growth rate from 2 percent annually to 1 percent, doubling transit ridership by 2030, significantly expanding the market share of passengers and freight moved by rail, reducing the percentage of commuters who drive alone to work to 1980 levels, and increasing the percentage of commuters who use transit, carpool, walk, bike, and work at home.

But:

Several Republican subcommittee members who represent suburban and rural areas expressed concern about how their constituents will be affected by climate-change policies. Rep. John Duncan, R-TN and the subcommittee’s ranking minority member, said solutions are simpler in urban areas where mass transit exists and it’s easier to get around by foot or on bicycle. Policy changes must consider the needs of those who live outside major cities, he said.

Rep. Bob Latta, R-OH, noted what works in New York City will not be applicable to his rural district.

“It’s not unusual for people in my area to commute 25 to 50 miles,” Latta said. “We can’t have people walk to work, can’t have people ride their bikes. … If we don’t have automobiles or pickup trucks, we’re unemployed.”

That’s the problem. This is circular logic. “We’ve never spent any money on active transportation or transit out here. Therefore, it’s impossible to bike out here and transit it abysmal. Since active transportation and transit are so bad people don’t use it, we shouldn’t spend any money on it.”

In my hometown of 100,000 it is impossible to walk anywhere. There is maybe a mile of sidewalk, total. There is not one single jogging trail, biking facility or bike rack to be found. Naturally, obesity rates reach 65%.

Remember the scene in L.A. Story where Steve Martin walks out to his car to drive next door? That’s my hometown. When I was there over Christmas, they had widened one of the major cross-town routes. On every corner at every intersection was an ADA compliant curb ramp, but no sidewalks at the top of the ramp. Federal law required the curb ramp and landing, but not the sidewalks. So they didn’t build any. (“Who would walk?”).

Now is the time to start making our rural areas bikeable and walkable as well. Otherwise, we will just continue down the oh-so-succesful path of the past.

Cross-posted on WashCycle.