Dear National Bike Summit Participants:

I am sorry I cannot join you for your meeting. I applaud your efforts to mainstream bicycling and walking facilities and programs into our Nation's transportation system at all levels of government--Federal, State, regional, and local. I want you to know that you have the full support of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in these efforts. Bicyclists and pedestrians are an integral part of our Nation's transportation system for the 21^st Century.

The DOT encourages transportation agencies across the Nation to routinely include the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians (including people with disabilities) when decisions are made about spending transportation dollars and safety funds. Bicyclists and pedestrians take six percent of our Nation's trips. Bicyclists and pedestrians are fourteen percent of our Nation's traffic fatalities.

Since the beginning of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, we have had remarkable success, increasing the annual expenditure of Federal transportation money for bicycle and pedestrian projects from 17.1 million dollars in 1991 to over 296 million dollars in 2000.

Improving conditions for bicycling and walking can make our communities better places to live, by reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, reducing energy consumption, and improving safety and mobility.

DOT has encouraged agencies to integrate bicycling and walking into their planning, construction, operations and maintenance activities, and to consider unique safety needs of bicyclists. DOT has also developed strategies for cooperating with our partners to reduce bicyclist and pedestrian injuries and fatalities.

I look forward to your continued support for integrating bicycling and walking into transportation programs.