Consider Biking Action Alert!!! Retain Funding for Recreational Trails
Ira Weiss
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Consider Biking Action Alert!!!
August 24, 2012
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In one week, on September 1, Ohio will decide whether to accept federal funding for the Recreational Trails Program. We have seen Indiana opt-in this week and we hope to see Ohio do the same.
We ask you to contact Governor John Kasich and Director Jerry Wray to tell them to "opt-in for Ohio"!
This is the first of several initiatives we will lead to maximize the use of transportation funds allocated in the new MAP-21 transportation law. It shifts decision making to the local/regional level which were previously made at the federal level.
We appreciate your participation in this important advocacy effort.
With Gratitude,
Ira Weiss, Jeannie Martin and Jody Dzuranin
Consider Biking MAP-21 Committee
Here is the Letter to Cut and Paste into a Letter or email.
Governor John Kasich
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6117
Phone: (614) 466-3555
Use his email submission form
Director Jerry Wray
Ohio Department of Transportation
1980 West Broad Street
Columbus Ohio 43223
Use the email submission form (scroll to General Inquiries at bottom)
[sender's name inserted here]
[sender's address inserted here]
[insert today's date]
[recipient address inserted here]
Dear [recipient name inserted here]
As a constituent I am writing to urge you to retain funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). As you know, the recently enacted transportation reauthorization law known as the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, or MAP-21, fully funds the RTP unless Governors choose to opt out of the program.
This program distributes $85 million in federal funding to states to support the construction, maintenance and development of trails for all types of recreation, trails that are catalysts for tourism and economic development, while providing valuable access to public lands. Given the importance of RTP to both motorized and non-motorized trail users, and to our state's economy, I urge you to opt in.
Established in 1991 as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, RTP has a long history of supporting all sorts of recreation. Over the years, the RTP has funded over 15,000 local projects across the country including recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and non-motorized recreational uses, including hiking and bicycling in our state.
More importantly, in Ohio over 160 local trail projects across the state have received more than $13 million in federal funds through ODNR since the Recreational Trails Program began in 1993.
From FY 2003-FY 2011 $12,447,063 was awarded in 52 Ohio counties from the most urban to the most rural in Appalachia. Many of the projects awarded were to cooperative ventures between several counties.
As you know, recreation is an important contributor to our state's economy, providing much needed job opportunities and valuable tourism dollars to our communities. Also, in this era of ever tightening budgets, it is important to note that the RTP is already paid for through taxes paid by off-highway recreational vehicle users and therefore does NOT require any additional federal or state spending. RTP funds are utilized by state transportation departments and natural resource agencies in cooperation with citizen advisory committees and a network of organizations and communities. These partners leverage available funding with cash and in-kind support - often doubling available federal funds. The RTP is the foundation for the investment in the economic future of our communities and our public lands.
I strongly urge you to continue this vital funding for the Recreational Trails Program so that we may continue to have these important recreational projects and economic development engines in our state.
Sincerely,
[sender's name]
[sender's phone number]
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END
Contact Information
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Web site - www.considerbiking.org
Facebook - Facebook Page
Twitter - @Consider_Biking
Office Phone - (614) 447-8894
email bi...@considerbiking.org
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Ira S. Weiss
11735 Eddington
Pickerington, OH 43147
