As much as $750 million for trails, walking and biking is being clawed back through the One Big Beautiful Bill. When the bill was signed into law, Congress rescinded all unobligated funding from the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program—a major blow to efforts restoring connectivity in communities so that everyone can get where they need to go. More than 20 people die walking every day, and bicyclists and pedestrians are the most likely road users to be seriously injured or killed. That’s why hundreds of places, representing all 50 states, are pursuing connected trail and active transportation networks, creating safe spaces for people to walk and bike so that everyone can get around, bringing economic opportunity, and improving quality of life for their residents. Now, many of those projects will not receive the investment they were promised in rural, suburban and urban communities alike, and people’s lives are being risked. “This move by Congress is appalling, and it sends a clear message. We need to band together—the public, local and state officials, and champions in Congress—to protect the range of funding that exists for this vital infrastructure. RTC will remain vigilant in advancing a federal policy agenda that provides opportunities to overcome this setback, making safe, connected active-transportation infrastructure accessible to all Americans.” -Kevin Mills, RTC’s vice president of policy. With millions of people relying on trails where they live, current public funding falls far short of the scale of demand and urgency to provide safe walking and biking routes nationwide. RTC has developed a federal policy agenda that outlines a bold strategy to build the nation’s essential walking and biking infrastructure. Read more of story + RTC's plan for action: https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/reconciliation-bill-claws-back-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-for-trails-walking-and-biking/ (fb)

July 15 and July 17: We're hosting two identical "Changemakers for Trails" training sessions on how storytelling can drive change—and ways to stay engaged with decision-makers. Join us at either of these sessions to explore how your story about the value of trails, walking and biking can help bring attention to the trail projects you care about. Register for free + learn more about our "Changemakers for Trails" initiative: https://www.railstotrails.org/policy/changemakers/#upcoming (fb)