§16103 Conserve by Bicycling Program

Summary

The Department of Transportation must set up a Conserve by Bicycling Program to save energy by getting people to use bikes instead of cars. "Program" means the Conserve by Bicycling Program. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Transportation. The program will run up to 10 pilot projects placed around the United States. Each pilot must use education and marketing, record results and estimated energy saved, work with at least two kinds of partners (like transportation, law enforcement, education, public health, environment, or energy), improve bike facilities, show methods other places can copy, and help local efforts continue. At least 20 percent of each pilot’s cost must come from non‑Federal sources. Within two years after August 8, 2005, the Secretary must hire the National Academy of Sciences to study how feasible it is to replace car trips with bike trips. The study must report on the pilots; identify what kinds and lengths of trips could be biked (considering weather, land use and traffic, bike carrying limits, and bike infrastructure); estimate energy savings; include a cost‑benefit analysis of bike investments; and list factors that would encourage more biking. Congress authorized $6,200,000 for the program: $5,150,000 for pilots, $300,000 for coordination and publicity, and $750,000 for the study. Funds remain available until spent.