\nHickenlooper promises $100 million to make Colorado “the best state for biking” in the country http:\/\/t.co\/ZuK8uLjeA7<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014 colorado.gov (@coloradogov) September 18, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nGovernor\u00a0Hickenlooper said, “I think being the best biking state is going to fuel economic growth and tourism. It’s going to lead us toward a cleaner environment, and it’s going to help us be the healthiest state in America.”<\/p>\n
Washington Bikes couldn’t agree more. The data is overwhelming and shows the clear economic<\/a>, safety<\/a>, and health benefits<\/a> to more and better biking and walking. Annually $3.1 billion is spent by bicycle riders in Washington state<\/a>. More physical activity makes us healthier and\u00a0is a no-brainer. It’s why\u00a0organizations like American Heart Association<\/a> and Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition<\/a> partner with Washington Bikes\u00a0to get more children biking and walking to their schools.<\/p>\nSo will $100 million over four years for biking and walking investments, or $25 million per year, sweep Colorado past a state like Washington and its number one Bicycle Friendly State ranking<\/a>, according to the League of American Bicyclists<\/a>?<\/p>\nIt’s a great\u00a0start, but no, Colorado has some more work to catch up to the new investments Washington state is making in safety, health, and economic development.<\/strong><\/p>\nThat’s because the 2015 State Legislative Session took Washington state to new highs and added to existing investment programs for safer streets and healthier children<\/a>. Consider the following:<\/p>\n\n- Over the next four years Washington state will invest $90 million from its transportation budget in biking, walking and school safety\u00a0– very close to the $100 million promised by Colorado’s chief executive.<\/li>\n
- Also,\u00a0the Washington State Capital Budget<\/a>\u00a0invested $15.6 million for trails statewide over the next two years.<\/li>\n
- Finally, Washington state investments in safer, healthier, and more economically prosperous streets will be bolstered as the legislature’s\u00a0transportation spending package instructed the\u00a0Transportation Improvement Board<\/a>\u00a0to administer $106 million over 16-years (almost $18 million in the coming four years) for the finally funded Complete Streets Grant Program.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Trails](\"http:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Capital-Budget-Trails-2015-17.jpg\")
<\/a>Trails funded in the 2015-17 Capital Budget<\/p><\/div>\n
All told, over the next four years Washington state leaders have committed approximately $123 million to\u00a0school safety, trails, and complete streets.<\/strong> This\u00a0represents forward progress to\u00a0provide taxpayers more economic return from their transportation investments than ever before<\/a>.<\/p>\nWashington’s $123 million for school safety, trails, and complete streets makes the state\u00a0one of the clear leaders (still behind Massachusetts’s\u00a05-year $425 million investment<\/a>\u00a0for biking, walking, and complete streets) in smart investments that provide more Washingtonians more freedom to get where they want to go safely and easily.<\/p>\n