Bike Federation of Wisconsin

"We go from shock to trance. You know, oil prices go up, gas prices at the pump go up, everybody goes into a flurry of activity. And then the prices go back down and suddenly we act like it's not important...And, as a consequence, we never make any progress. It's part of the addiction, all right. That has to be broken. Now is the time to break it."-- Barack Obama, President-Elect

Now's your chance to tell President-Elect Obama and the incoming administration what you think should be done to improve our country's transportation system. Visit http://www.itoldthepresident.org/ to submit your comments!

In addition, be sure to sign the Rails to Trails' petition to Obama. As the petitions states: "Add your name to this petition to President-elect Obama and key congressional leaders. Within days of President-elect Obama taking office, Congress will likely pass a new large-scale economic recovery package, aiming to create millions of jobs. A significant percentage of this package may be allocated specifically to transportation infrastructure. This presents both a threat and an opportunity.

"The threat: Unless we speak up, these transportation funds will go overwhelmingly to road projects -- the same unbalanced strategy that has created our existing transportation problems."

The opportunity: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, in partnership with Thunderhead Alliance and America Bikes, has collected a list of hundreds of ready-to-go active transportation projects from communities across the country. These projects would create new jobs and revitalize communities by funding trails, bike lanes, sidewalks and other infrastructure."This would meet the ultimate goal of the recovery package: creating immediate jobs. Additionally, such an investment strategy would provide both immediate economic benefits and lasting positive change."

The long-term benefits are many: promoting local businesses along active transportation corridors; reducing health care costs; and curbing climate change emissions and oil dependency. These projects would also establish the principle that active transportation infrastructure is a wise, efficient and desirable public investment."

Visit http://support.railstotrails.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Economic_Recovery_to_BP to sign the petition and make your voice heard.