On Monday, the White House announced a new project that will be led by Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Over the next five years, an estimated $5 billion will be spent on infrastructure needs, including new bike lanes and speeding cameras, to promote safety on the road.
The project will be funded by the controversial $1 trillion spending package signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021 that could be used to fund, for example, “left- and right-turn lanes at intersections, centerline and shoulder rumble strips, wider edge lines, high-friction surface treatments, road diets, and better signage along high-crash urban and rural corridors.”
Other proposed uses for the funding include:
- Supporting the development of bikeway networks with bicycle lanes for different roadway volumes and speeds that are safe for people of all ages and abilities.
- Carrying out speed management strategies such as implementing traffic calming road design changes, addressing speed along key corridors through infrastructure, conducting education and outreach, setting appropriate speed limits, and making strategic use of speed safety cameras.
- Creating safe routes to school and public transit services through multiple activities that lead to people safely walking, biking, and rolling in underserved communities.
- Promoting the adoption of innovative technologies or strategies to promote safety and protect vulnerable road users in high-traffic areas where commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, etc. interact.
- Conducting education campaigns to accompany new or innovative infrastructure, such as roundabouts, pedestrian hybrid beacons, or pedestrian-only zones.
While these would normally be seen by communities as common-sense goals that could move forward without much fuss, the timing has left a lot to be desired. Inflation is running rampant, parents are finding it difficult to purchase formula for their children, and gas prices are showing no signs of coming down. Those things combined are leaving a lot of people asking if now is the time to start these kinds of government projects.
100K die from fentanyl per yr but you cancelled $5B border wall to spend $5B for bike lanes & speed cameras?
— Gregg (@GatorGregg04) May 16, 2022
“We don’t have a food shortage problem — we have a leadership problem.”
— Jim Nichols (@jimnick007) May 17, 2022
I like you Pete, I do, but I’m in this business. The discretionary grants take far, far too long to get awarded, an environmental determination made, grant agreement signed, bids let etc. If you apply for a grant and get it – can easily be 2 years to construction. Do better.
— bruce lindholm (@brucelindholm2) May 17, 2022
And, inflation boomed.
— MaunaGreen🦎 (@GreenMauna) May 17, 2022
Much more? Beyond the fund appropriated when this precipitous IS bill was approved? Sourced from where? I ask b/c we are in a serious Inflationary crisis that will probably lead to recession.
— EndDiscriminationNow (@END_JRN) May 17, 2022
The gaslighting here is awful….
— Mike Prince (@FLLyWitPrince) May 16, 2022
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- MTG gets some ‘savage’ payback after Dem across the hall loses reelection - November 10, 2022
- Musk sends first official email to Twitter staff; here’s what it said … - November 10, 2022
- Christina Pushaw laughs at traumatized local ‘legacy media’ calling Florida a ‘crimson hellscape’ - November 10, 2022
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.