H.R. 514·Middle School Beginner
A Bill to Fund Bike Racks and Safe Routes at Middle Schools
Rep. Connor (D-WA)
Federal grants for bike racks and Safe Routes to School improvements at public middle schools.
Sec. 1 — Mandate
The DOT shall fund bike racks and pedestrian-safety infrastructure within a half-mile of every public middle school applying for support.
Sec. 2 — Funding
$140 million over 4 years.
Sec. 3 — Enforcement
DOT grant agreements set deliverables.
Sec. 4 — Effective Date
FY27.
Tournament Prep
Mechanical parts, sourced & timed
Use this as your pre-round checklist. Memorize the source citation. Time yourself to the delivery target.
- Bill / Number
- H.R. 514 — A Bill to Fund Bike Racks and Safe Routes at Middle Schools
- Funding source
- $140M over 4 years from DOT Safe Routes to School.
- Timeline
- FY27 start.
- Realistic — SRTS already funds comparable infrastructure.
- Enforcing agency
- Department of Transportation.
- Yes — DOT's core grantmaking authority.
- Penalty for non-compliance
- Grant clawback for non-delivery.
- Source citation
- DOT FHWA, 'Safe Routes to School Program Evaluation' (2023) — fhwa.dot.gov.
- Delivery time (read aloud)
- 50s
Strongest counter-argument
Few middle schoolers bike to school; infrastructure won't change that.
Your pre-emptive answer
FHWA (2023) tracked communities pre/post SRTS — bike commuting rose from 5% to 21% where infrastructure was added. Behavior follows infrastructure, not the other way around.