Skip to Content
Streetsblog San Francisco home
Streetsblog San Francisco home
Log In
Bicycling

Harry Reid Calls Bike Facilities “Absolutely Important”

Seems like bicycling heroes are coming out of the woodwork these days. I'd missed this in all the coverage of the extension, but was gratified to see that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's opposition to Sen. Coburn's machinations weren't just in the interest of smooth procedure. The man actually cares about bike/ped issues.

false

From The Hill:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) also defended [Transportation Enhancements] on grounds that bicycle paths would help Americans consume less gasoline.

“The issue [Coburn] has presented is a little unusual,” said Reid on Thursday morning. “He says that he doesn’t like bicycle paths being part of the highway bill. Well, for most Americans, they are absolutely important. It’s good for purposes of allowing people to travel without burning all the fossil fuel on the highways.”

Reid added that he had taken his morning run in Washington and noticed “scores” of people commuting by bike or foot.

Sen. Boxer has been in rare form as well, standing up to defend federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian programs. The article quotes her as saying Transportation Enhancements are "about saving lives." Take that, everybody who belittles TE as "beautification" projects.

Meanwhile, Sen. Coburn's aides appear concerned that he and Boxer have two different ideas about the deal that was struck yesterday, allowing the bill to pass and the senators to go back home for the weekend instead of staying to fight it out. Next week, we should all have a clearer idea of exactly what is and what isn't going to be in the final bill (if one is ever passed).

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog San Francisco

Op-Ed: It’s Time to Extend the Central Subway to North Beach

There are abandoned tunnels under Stockton Street: here’s how they could transform San Francisco’s subway system.

May 8, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: ‘Normal’ is Not Correct, Someone Died Here

After a crash, the debris is quickly cleaned up and everyone moves on (usually too quickly). But these two experts are asking us to all slow down.

May 8, 2025

LA Metro Names Former SFPD Chief Bill Scott as Chief of Police

Chief Scott and Metro leadership emphasized that keeping Metro transit safe would require a multi-faceted approach that included the deployment of officers as well as collaboration with the community, ambassadors, and service providers. "Sometimes enforcement is the answer," Scott said. "Sometimes it's not."

May 7, 2025
See all posts