Rachael Kefalos - Comments

As the USDOT prepares and researches for the next five years and beyond, I encourage the agency to focus on the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians, as these active forms of transportation all fit into the DOT priorities of safety, livable communities, state of good repair, economic competitiveness, and environmental sustainability. Bicycling and walking is crucial to providing livable communities to residents. These affordable and active transportation options promote increased access to jobs, school, health services, and other activities, while improving the quality of life of residents--by promoting active lifestyles and reducing health-care costs. By advancing policies that promote bicycling and walking, we are thereby improving the community's environmental sustainability in various other ways--reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, and lessening our dependence upon foreign fossil fuels. As DOT focuses on safety and prioritizes the efforts to reduce transportation-related fatalities and injuries, I encourage officials to seek greater ways to ensure safety of bicyclists. As a resident of South Carolina, I am particularly alarmed by the high fatality rate of cyclists on roads in my state. In the past decade, South Carolina has been ranked in the top ten for fatalities nationwide. Given the most recent data released by NHTSA, South Carolina is ranked 5th in the nation for cycling fatalities. This data clearly shows that bicyclists have historically been, and continue to be, a vulnerable road user in South Carolina. We need a system that values performance and good repair. It is crucial that our state transportation departments place a priority on maintenance--not just for motorists but for pedestrians and cyclists as well. For the long-term prosperity of our state and nation, we need to remain economically competitive--and biking and walking are at the forefront of this movement. Thank you for this opportunity!