2nd Saturday Bike ride with the Slow and Low San Antonio group
SB513 - Complete streets.
Senator Van de Putte,
I want to thank you for your service during this legislative session especially with issues at hand such as the state budget, college concealed carry, immigration issues. I live in your district and I have written you before about many of these issues. Many of these issues hit close to home since I'm a concealed carry permit holder and a public school teacher. Tonight, I write you about another issue that is close to me as a driver, cyclist, pedestrian, elementary teacher, PTA board member, small business owner and Bike Texas member.
As the gas prices continue to jump up and down Texas needs to look at securing our economic future and one area is protecting mobility. As I drive the five miles from my home to the Elementary school where I teach I pass by many gas stations and wonder what would happen to San Antonio if gas prices go to $8-10 or more per gallon? What would happen to Texas if people couldn't afford to go from their home to their jobs. Would our economy survive? Would our sales tax revenue be limited due to people not traveling to stores? Would the mass transit system handle the extra load of riders? Sadly I'm afraid the answer to many of these issues would not be positive.
Texas needs to start today to safeguard our economy and way of life against a fuel crisis. SB513 the bill that can do it! SB513 would make developers and city planners broaden their views of streets and roads. It would make them think outside the shiny metal box we call the automobile. Texas needs to make sure that our infrastructure is able to handle not only cars safely but also bicyclists and pedestrians.
I live less than a mile from my local grocery store. Unfortunately, It isn't easily accessible safely by bicycle so I often drive my car to the store and that means driving the access roads and the .5 mile trip becomes a 2 mile trek in the automobile. As a teacher I know that many parents choose to drive their children to school because the streets are not safe for bicycling and many areas don't have sidewalks.
I'm asking that you yes on SB513 to protect the Texas infrastructure against a fuel crisis and help ensure a strong economy in the future no matter if we travel by car, bicycle or foot.
SB513 the Complete Streets bill has support from Texas PTA, Texas Pediatric Society, Texas Medial Association, Texans Care for Children, Bike Texas, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and AARP
-M.R.
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