Infrastructure Package Paves the Way for More Physical Activity
Bill includes key provisions improving funding, availability, and equity for Active Transportation and pedestrian safety projects.
On Friday, November 6, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the final version of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. After being passed by the U.S. Senate in August of 2021, the Act currently awaits the signature of President Joe Biden to become law. The Physical Activity Alliance (PAA) commends the bipartisan Congressional efforts that developed and passed the Act, particularly because of the provisions supporting and encouraging physical activity among Americans.
Active Transportation, which consists of human-powered forms of travel such as walking, cycling, skating, and manual wheelchairs, is a key component of the PAA’s National Physical Activity Plan. Increased accessibility to Active Transportation supports public health by improving individual fitness, reducing pollution, and reducing traffic-related fatalities. Active Transportation, particularly in underserved communities, can improve equitable health outcomes by making physically active lifestyles the easy choice over sedentary or low-activity lifestyles.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act supports a robust, equity-focused investment in America’s Active Transportation infrastructure. Specifically, provisions reforming and increasing funding for the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) will open doors for local communities to build infrastructure that supports physical activity and Active Transportation.
The bill’s verbiage makes TAP more accessible, flexible, and focused on improving underserved communities. This will bring safer and healthier modes of transportation to potentially millions of Americans, supporting the CDC’s Active People, Healthy Nation goal of getting 27 million Americans more physically active by 2027. Additionally, funding and improvements to the Safe Routes to School initiative, Highway Safety Improvement Program, Reconnecting Communities Program, Complete Streets, and Vision Zero plans address structural civil planning inadequacies in order to reduce traffic-related morbidity and mortality and promote safer, healthier communities.?
We appreciate Congress for taking action to prioritize its constituents' physical activity and community well-being by passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and are excited to see how the bill improves the long-term public health of Americans as it’s provisions are implemented nationally.?
About the Physical Activity Alliance
The Physical Activity Alliance is a coalition of physical activity motivated organizations that leads efforts to create, support, and advocate policy and system changes which enable all Americans to enjoy physically active lives. We envision an active and healthy nation where the opportunity for physical activity is easily available in the daily lives of all Americans. Through our National Physical Activity Plan, policy research and evaluation, and grassroots advocacy efforts, we connect planning to policy and advocacy as well as to professionals promoting public health approaches to physical activity. Connect with us at https://paamovewithus.org/, Twitter, or LinkedIn.