WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republican senators failed Tuesday in their third effort in less than two months to eliminate federal money for bike paths, walking trails and other transportation enhancement projects.
An amendment by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was defeated by a vote of 60 to 38. It would have forbidden the government from spending any money on enhancement projects and re-directed funds to bridge repairs.
Paul and other critics say the program is bankrolling extravagant projects, such as a giant roadside coffee-pot shaped building, movie theaters and turtle tunnels.
But in many cases, these projects have been exaggerated or misrepresented. The coffee pot, for example, didn't receive transportation aid; the movie theater is really a driver's education classroom; and the turtle tunnels are a wildlife eco-passage that allows animals to cross a busy Florida highway so motorists won't swerve to avoid killing them.
Also, landscaping and scenic beautification is just one of 12 areas that receive money through the program. Paul's amendment would have barred states from using federal transportation money for any one of the dozen categories, including bike and walking paths, bike lanes and pedestrian safety projects.
Paul continued the misrepresentation Tuesday, telling senators "this amendment simply takes funds from beautification and puts them into bridges."
The money for transportation enhancements ? $927 million for this budget year ? is the largest source of federal funds for bicycling projects. While states can use the federal aid for any of the 12 categories, bike and walking projects tend to receive about half the funds, supporters of the program said.
A national network of bicycle groups urged their members over the past week to contact their senators and ask them to vote against Paul's amendment.
A similar effort by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., in September would have eliminated the requirement that states set aside a portion of their transportation funds for enhancements. It also was defeated. Another effort in October by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, was defeated as well.
Like Paul, the senators said states should be able to spend all their highway aid on roads and bridges if they want, especially because many states have a backlog of road projects and structurally deficient bridges that need to be repaired or replaced.
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