SENATORS PROMOTE COMPLETION OF "EAST COAST GREENWAY" - NATION'S FIRST LONG-DISTANCE URBAN TRAIL
(Washington, DC) - Twenty-three United States Senators representing states along the eastern seaboard have written a letter
to President Bush urging public support and financial assistance for the completion of the "East Coast Greenway," the nation's first
long distance urban trail, stretching from Maine's Canadian border to Key West, Florida.
The East Coast Greenway (ECG) is a 2,600-mile multi-use trail serving walkers, bicyclists, equestrians, the physically
challenged and other non-motorized uses. Nicknamed the "urban equivalent of the Appalachian Trail," the trail connects cities from
Portland, Maine to Miami, Florida, and passes through sites that showcase our nation's industrial, intellectual, environmental and
cultural heritage. When complete, this trail will contribute to advancing a number of important goals: increasing transportation
options, improving air quality, reducing roadway congestion, encouraging ecotourism and adventure travel, spurring local economic
development, improving public health via recreation and exercise, and helping to connect people and communities.
"Volunteers and local agencies are currently hard at work on all parts of the route, from Key West, Florida to Maine's
Canadian border at Calais. More than 20% of the East Coast Greenway is currently in use and another 40% is in various stages of
planning, design or construction," the Senators wrote. "This community-based initiative has received critical support from federal
programs administered by the U.S. Departments of Interior and Transportation, the Centers for Disease Control, the
Environmental Protection Agency and branches of the Armed Services. States along the trail have utilized millions in federal
transportation program funding for the design and construction of local trail segments. However, additional help is needed to
ensure that the vision of completing this trail by 2010 is fulfilled."
The Senators concluded by asking the President to accept a forthcoming invitation to officially launch the ECG at the
Inaugural event in June 2003 in Washington, DC, and asking that he direct the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, Transportation,
Defense, Health & Human Services, EPA, and Homeland Security to work together and make the ECG a priority for discretionary
funding and technical assistance programs administered by each Agency.
Signing the letter were Senators Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Biden (D-DE), Tom Carper (D-DE),
Max Cleland (D-GA), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Chris Dodd (D-CT), John Edwards (D-NC), Bob
Graham (D-FL), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Zell Miller (D-GA), Bill Nelson
(D-FL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Rick Santorum (R-PA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Arlen Specter (R-PA),
Robert Torricelli (D-NJ), and John Warner (R-VA).
For more information on the East Coast Greenway, visit
www.greenway.org. For more information on the Inaugural Event
and for full text of the Senate letter (including signatures), click the "ECG Inaugural Event" button.