The 2024 White House budget proposal for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) includes new funding for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP), reinforcing the significant impact that connected trails and other walking and biking infrastructure have on making communities safer, more connected, and more sustainable, said Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC).
“The USDOT 2024 budget proposal sends an important message—that trail and active transportation networks serve a critical role in connecting people to destinations, lowering carbon emissions, and enhancing pedestrian and bicycle safety,” said Kevin Mills, RTC’s vice president of policy. “Trail and active transportation networks are essential infrastructure. Congress needs to expand upon USDOT’s support for this program, fully funding it and maximizing its potential. That’s what’s needed to enable communities to accelerate the development of long-term and large-scale active transportation plans, and more quickly unlock the benefits they deliver.”
The endorsement of the program in the USDOT budget follows a recent trend in federal transportation grantmaking that underscores the importance of connected trail and active transportation systems in addressing some of the biggest challenges facing communities nationwide, like traffic safety, climate and equity, by making it safer and more convenient for people to walk and bike as part of their everyday lives.
ATIIP is a new program that provides dedicated funding for the planning and construction of safe and connected active-transportation networks and long-distance spine trails. The program was authorized in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and received its first appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2023 federal funding bill. RTC, Congressional champions and partners across the country are continuing to advocate for full program funding in the FY 2024 federal budget. Learn more about the demand for trails, walking and biking infrastructure and available federal funding at railstotrails.org/policy/funding.