If you haven’t already heard, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed the Omnibus Transportation Finance and Policy Bill, which includes nearly all the provisions in the Bill Dooley Bicycle Safety Act into law earlier this week, instituting historic investments for vital programs like Safe Routes to School and active transportation, alongside substantial policy changes that make our roads safer for people who bike, walk, and roll. These are the changes that we at BikeMN have been pushing for! (Full bill language)
These exciting new investments and policies will transform our transportation system for the better and positively impact our climate, public health, towns, cities, and communities across Minnesota. This is a significant moment for Minnesota. Like BikeMN, our legislators agree that bringing bicycle and pedestrian safety education to as many people as possible is important to create smarter and more confident riders and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Our legislators recognize that bike, walk, and transit-friendly communities create thriving, healthy places for people to live, work, and recreate. Like BikeMN, our legislators believe that meeting ambitious advocacy efforts can only make Minnesota stronger, and investing in biking, walking, and transit, is one solution to many of the most complex problems facing our state – including climate change.
“We go big. We go bold. We make that generational investment today,” said Hornstein, who sponsors the bill with Sen. D. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls).
Earlier this week, BikeMN Staff and Dorian joined a celebration alongside advocates, friends, leaders, and everyday Minnesotans who fought hard for this critical and historic win. Transportation Committee Chairs, Senator Scott Dibble and Representative Frank Hornstein presented Dorian with a copy of the signed bill at the celebration. Our thanks to the Transportation Forward Coalition, the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, the Minnesota Safety Council, BikeMN’s lobbyist Vic Moore and our Chapter organizations throughout Minnesota, and a special thanks to our legislative champions, Senator Scott Dibble, Representative Frank Hornstein, Senator Kelly Morrison, Senator Omar Fateh, Representative Lucy Rehm, and Representative Steve Elkins.
Dorian, BikeMN’s Executive Director, has been advocating in St. Paul for over 12 years with BikeMN. At the celebration, Dorian shared, “I do a lot of this advocacy work in memory of Jim Oberstar who passed away in 2014, and for Bill Dooley, who passed away just last year after a decade of serving as BikeMN’s Advocacy Committee Chair. It was an honor to work with Bill, and I thank [Representative Hornstein and Senator Dibble] so much for naming this bill after him. And the Transportation Forward Coalition was so important as a partnership to make this happen. We can’t do this alone.” Watch the video below from this well-deserved celebration!