Document text
May 19 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels March 2, 2004 'Safe schools' a marketing ploy The every six years federal highway-aid bill is lurching unsteadily through Congress. The main formula for handing out a third of a trillion federal gas-tax dollars is still to be decided on, but the hundreds of peripheral details are starting to become definite. One detail that's likely to make it into law is the "Safe Routes to School Program" (Sec. 1405 of S.1072). "Safe Routes to School" is the latest marketing ploy of bike-path advocates. The bicycle crowd already has the "Enhancements" program that devotes a fraction of fuel-tax funds to sidewalks, bike paths, and horse trails, but they want more. For this round, they've joined forces with the "walkable communities" activists, and public-health crusaders who are trying to convince people that Americans are too fat. These folk say people should walk more, and would, if only those nasty cars weren't in the way all the time. To this end they propose to hand out money to local governments for sidewalks, pedestrian and bicycle crossings, on-street bicycle lanes, bike paths, bicycle parking racks, pedestrian railroad crossings, and lessons for kids on walking, health, and the environment. And speed bumps. In a wonderfully Orwellian phrase, your gas tax dollars will soon be usable for "traffic calming and speed reduction improvements." That's right: your gas-tax dollars will help get you there slower, and your Senators think that's an improvement. The program also takes care of people who ride patrol cars, not bikes: "Safe Routes" money will be usable for "traffic education and enforcement in the vicinity of schools." Always seeing the big picture, the Senate defines the vicinity of a school as any street within two miles of any public school. This means that local governments will be lining up for grants to pay their police to run speed traps on highways up to two miles from the nearest school. Because it's not possible for a politician to oppose "safe routes to school," the bike-peddlers and fitness fans are certain to win this round, with a rake-off for police departments. This program is almost certain to divert at least $70,000,000 per year away from highway projects that really could contribute to safety for thousands of motorists - and pedestrians. Whether any schoolchildren will benefit is nowhere near as certain. "Revenue Enhancement" will replace lost funding from Measure 30's defeat. Combined with the monies to pay the salaries of police on patrol in these areas, the fines imposed by tickets will be an even bigger wind-fall for towns,counties and cities. Count on it. If you drive your children to school, or drive within two miles of a school zone on your way to work, you are at risk for "revenue enhancement" efforts. Not only will you pay the fine, but you'll find your insurance company all too happy to raise your rates as well. Count on it. Geoff McPherson Ashland DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams