It is critical that key legislators hear from you about the need for the “Connect Oregon for Trails” fund to support investment in non-motorized transportation.
The Oregon Legislature is considering two identical bills, House Bill 2902 and Senate Bill 635, which would create “Connect Oregon for Trails”, a new Nonmotorized Transportation Fund to support the construction of multi-use trails, paths, bike highways, greenways, and similar facilities throughout the state.
On Monday at 1pm, the House Transportation Committee will hear these bills.
HB 2902 and SB 635 would provide funding for bicycle and pedestrian facilities that cannot be supported by highway fund dollars because they are OUTSIDE the road right-of-way. This is the one piece of the multimodal transportation system currently neglected by state transportation investments.
Please send an email letter or place a phone call to your Legislator AND the chairs of the House and Senate Transportation Committees to support HB 2902 and SB 635.
Click here to view a suggested draft letter.
• In your letter / call:
o Be sure to mention the bill numbers (That’s how legislative staff know where to file your letter so it will be seen.)
o If possible, email a pdf file as a letter on your organization’s letterhead, if applicable, to both the committee chair and the committee administrator; see details below
o If you have a specific trail you care about or a specific reason you support increased funding for trails, please mention it.
• Written communications should be addressed to:
o Rep. Terry Beyer, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
o Sen. Rick Metsger, Chair, Senate Committee on Business and Transportation
• Please also email a copy of your comments to:
o Your Legislator
o Patrick Brennan, House Transportation Committee Administrator
o Jim Stembridge, Senate Business and Transportation Committee Administrator
o The BTA
For more details on the bills, click here to download the fact sheet on HB 635 and SB 2902.
If you have any questions please contact me or my colleague Randy Tucker, Metro Legislative Affairs Manager.
Thanks for helping power the politics of the cycling movement!
Who submitted this bill? I love it and would like to see more legislative efforts to substantially increase the “size of the pie” for bike and ped projects.
HB 2902 was introduced by Representative Bailey (D) from SE Portland.
The companion bill on the Senate side, SB 635 was introduced by Senator Atkinson (R) from Central Point and Senator Monroe (D) from SE Portland.
I saw the introducing congresspersons, but I actually wanted to know which organization thought up, wrote and championed the bill. Is it Metro?
Hi Jessica,
Metro introduced the bills.
Thank you. And good work, Metro.