[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 122 (Wednesday, July 19, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1018]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCTION OF THE BIKESHARE TRANSIT ACT OF 2017

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 19, 2017

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, America is in the middle of a bikeshare 
revolution. More than 100 communities have bikeshare systems, 
supporting a network of 4,800 stations and over 42,000 bikes. Since 
2010, riders have taken more than 88 million trips, with the number of 
trips and systems increasing each year.
  Today, my community is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its 
BIKETOWN bikeshare launch. In the last year, more than 75,000 
Portlanders and visitors have taken hundreds of thousands of trips, 
covering more than half a million miles and removing untold numbers of 
automobiles from city streets. The system's success has already led to 
its expansion, giving more communities access to efficient, carbon-free 
transportation.
  The increased commercial investment around bikeshare stations and 
networks is driving economic development across the country. Systems 
are opening in communities of all sizes from Los Angeles and Cleveland 
to Topeka and Birmingham. While some existing bikeshare programs 
received federal dollars to develop their systems, the lack of an 
established funding source has proved an impediment to many other 
projects. Since the term ``bikeshare'' is not defined in U.S. code or 
described by law as a form of transit, existing bikeshare systems and 
departments of transportation are forced to operate in a gray area, 
creating challenges for funding, maintaining, and administering these 
programs.
  Today, I am introducing the Bikeshare Transit Act, legislation that 
will eliminate this gray area by defining bikeshare in statute and 
making bikeshare systems eligible to receive funding to enhance related 
public transportation service or transit facilities. The bill allows 
federal funding to be used for acquiring or replacing bikeshare-related 
equipment and constructing bikeshare facilities. Bikeshare systems will 
also be listed as eligible projects under the Congestion Mitigation and 
Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program.
  The Bikeshare Transit Act will remove significant barriers facing new 
and existing bikeshare projects applying for federal funding while 
underscoring that bikeshare programs drive economic development and are 
an important part of bringing choice and adding value to America's 
transportation system.

                          ____________________