| In early 2008, Spokane Regional Transportation Council, Spokane Regional Health District, local political and business leaders, community activists, walking and bicycling advocates, and local planners and engineers got together to encourage people to find an alternative to driving alone. They discovered that the Spokane area needs extensive improvements to our bike and pedestrian facilities, and a lot of money is needed to do that.
In response,the ‘SmartRoutes 2010’ initiative was developed; an application and case statement for up to $50 million in grant money for transportation projects. The ‘2010 Campaign for Active Transportation,' initiated by the Rails To Trails Conservancy (RTC), has a goal of doubling the non-motorized transportation budget from $4.5 billion to $9 billion in the next federal transportation budget. To read Spokane's SmartRoutes Funding case statement, click here.
Spokane isn’t alone in seeking money to improve non-motorized transportation facilities. 40+ other U.S. communities submitted case statements to RTC to help build the national case for the needs of non-motorized transportation.
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