AMERICA WALKS: Call to Action!

We are one step closer to a federal transportation law that makes streets safer for all users.

Dear Walk Bike Berks,        

After several long weeks of intense work from advocates around the country, the Cardin-Cochran Amendment has been accepted as part of the base Senate transportation bill, MAP-21. If MAP-21 becomes law, the language from this amendment will ensure that local governments, school systems, and metropolitan planning organizations are able to access much-needed funds to make walking and bicycling safe and accessible.

The list of who we need to thank for this important victory is long, but our most immediate "thank you" goes to the following US Senators - Please take a minute to click on their name and thank them:

• Senators Cardin (D-MD) and Cochran (R-MS) for championing this amendment and ensuring that local governments have a voice in transportation planning and projects; and
• The leaders of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Sens. Boxer (D-CA), Baucus (D-MT), Inhofe (R-OK), and Vitter (R-LA), for including this amendment.

What you can do to ensure continued support for walking and biking:

• Please e-mail or call the Senators listed above with a simple message, "thank you for including the Cardin-Cochran Amendment into MAP-21."
• Ask your state's US Senators to "support the Klobuchar/Burr/Shaheen/Risch Amendment (#1661)." This amendment supports the Recreational Trails Program that has built and maintained thousands of miles of trails across the United States.

PA Senators are:

• Toomey, Patrick J. - (R - PA)	Class III
  502 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
  (202) 224-4254
  Web Form: www.toomey.senate.gov/?p=contact

  Casey, Robert P., Jr. - (D - PA)	Class I
  393 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
  (202) 224-6324
  Web Form: www.casey.senate.gov/contact/

America Walks thanks everyone who called and emailed in support of the Cardin-Cochran amendment. Your voices made this possible!

Sincerely,
Scott Bricker, Executive Director
America Walks

MOTHER LEADS FOUR DAY -- 75 Mile -- WALK FROM EARTH DAY TO PA STATE CAPITOL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MOTHER LEADS FOUR DAY WALK FROM EARTH DAY TO PA STATE CAPITOL

Contact: Michele Barrett, mbarrett@walkbikeberks.org, 610-323-2999, 484-638-1391

Berks County, PA: 8:30 AM Saturday, April 30: From Earth Day to the Stairs of the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building, a suburban housewife and mother of two is beginning a four day journey (75 Miles) to bring attention to transportation needs of those who do not drive a car for every trip they make.

Founder of WalkBikeBerks, and now Safe Routes To School Coordinator for the organization, Michele Barrett will be walking to Harrisburg to draw awareness to the importance and the needs of those that bicycle and walk for transportation and recreation. " I am walking for Freedom, Mobility and Safety -- because the loss of even one more life on our transportation system is not acceptable. Recently, a news reporter asked me if we are doing enough to provide safety on our streets. I could only answer, 'When a person dies on the streets we pay for and build -- no -- we obviously have not done all that we can do.' Too often, we blame the victim of the collision, without ever asking: Was there any responsibility in the design of the street?"

In an effort to build a better transportation system that meets the needs of all road users, WalkBikeBerks was formed to bring Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School to Berks County PA. Now, Michele hopes to bring the message from Transportation for America's recent publication: Dangerous by Design, which can be found here: http://t4america.org/docs/dangerousbydesign/dangerous_by_design.pdf.

This walk to the PA State Capitol Building will end at the PA Walks & Bikes Summit. Along the Schuylkill River Trail: Thun Trail from Pottstown to RACC, other people will be joining Michele at various locations. She will be stopping in Birdsboro, PA on April 30th on her way to the Wyomissing Earth Day where WalkBikeBerks will be a presenter. Michele will stop in Birdsboro to highlight one of several Transportation Enhancements projects that will make locations in Berks County safer for pedestrians and all road users. Michele plans to be in Birdsboro mid-morning.

Participants in the walk are only asked to do one thing: please carry your own message for why walking -- Freedom, Mobility and Safety -- is important to you. Bring the whole family? Berks County has some beautiful trails. The weather forecast calls for a high of 69 degrees and sun.

Click here[http://www.schuylkillrivertrail.com/index.php?/trail/overview/pottstown_to_reading/] for Route Map, a total of about 20 miles from Pottstown to the location of the Wyomissing Earth Day event.

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