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According to a news article from The Reporter, health advocacy groups are working with state policy makers in Pennsylvania to develop legislation that would create a specific fund to support the construction of walking and bike trails. Groups like the Mission: Readiness organization—an organization of retired military leaders—are concerned that childhood obesity has become an issue of national security and have called on state lawmakers to develop a comprehensive transportation plan that would include active modes of transportation.
The news story reports that legislators plan on proposing a whole sales tax on fuel sold to gas stations to support the development of trails. They are hoping that this tax would help raise between $2.5 billion and $2.8 billion a year for new trails.
Read more on why Mission: Readiness feels that alternative forms of transportation are a matter of national security.
Update!—This policy has been enacted.
By The Numbers
33
percent
of Latinos live within walking distance (<1 mile) of a park
