Rep. Panetta Joins Bay Area Delegation Calling for Federal Investments in Local Trails for Cyclists and Pedestrians

May 19, 2026 Press Release Washington, D.C. – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) joined Rep. Sam Liccardo (CA-16) and a coalition of Bay Area Members of Congress in urging the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to prioritize and strengthen federal funding for active transportation infrastructure for walking and cycling. In addition to Reps. Panetta and Liccardo, the letter was also signed by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11) and Reps. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), and Mike Thompson (CA-04). “The Bay Area’s transportation network increasingly relies on non-motorized options like the San Francisco Bay Trail, which connects communities, parks, schools, and transit across more than 350 miles in nine counties and is planned to expand to 500 miles,” wrote the Members. The delegation called for robust support for the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside, and the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, which help communities build safer pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, trails, and connections to transit. Currently, insufficient funding threatens access to green and active modes of transportation. The Members urged Committee leaders to increase dedicated funding to make active transportation infrastructure a priority in this year’s surface transportation reauthorization bill. “Programs and funding dedicated to active transportation routes will help expand safe, reliable access to jobs, schools, and essential services,” continued the Members. “These federal funding programs are critical to complete the Bay Trail and other trail networks around the region,” said Save The Bay Executive Director David Lewis. “We need to invest in healthy transportation options that connect more communities with nature, jobs, and critical services.” Full text of the letter is available here and below: Dear Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen: As Members of the San Francisco Bay Area, we write to urge you to prioritize and strengthen programs that support active transportation infrastructure, including the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, its Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside, and the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. The Bay Area’s transportation network increasingly relies on non-motorized options like the San Francisco Bay Trail, which connects communities, parks, schools, and transit across more than 350 miles in nine counties and is planned to expand to 500 miles. The Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside, which directs a portion of the Surface Transportation Block Grant program funding to smaller-scale local projects, has proven critical to improving our pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, safer routes to transit, and trails. Throughout California, our local communities leverage federal resources with substantial state investments through the Active Transportation Program (ATP) under Caltrans. The Bay Area has long led on active transportation investment, and the ATP has played a central role in that success. Our region includes one of four communities in the nation that participated in the Non-Motorized Pilot Program established under SAFETEA-LU in 2005, demonstrating the impact and cost-effectiveness of targeted investments to close infrastructure gaps. This success highlights the value of expanding the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP), created through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides a mechanism for states and regions throughout the country to build on the success of the non-motorized pilots. ATIIP provides a mechanism to scale these successes nationwide, yet current funding levels are insufficient—applications exceed available funds by a factor of 40. We urge you to increase dedicated Trust Fund funding for ATIIP. Programs and funding dedicated to transportation alternatives will help expand safe, reliable access to jobs, schools, and essential services. We respectfully urge the Committee to make investments in transportation alternatives a priority in this year’s surface transportation reauthorization bill. Thank you for your attention to our concerns, and for your partnership in boosting the mobility and recreational opportunity for millions of Americans. Sincerely,