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The National Bicycle Party (!)
CDC Establishes State Programs
Oberstar Delivers Safe Routes To School
Obesity Continues Climb In 1999
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California Advocates Win Some, Lose Some
New Tucson Crosswalks A Boon For Pedestrians
Denver-Area Cyclists Push For U.S. 36 Trail
Great Britain/San Jose Share Experiences
Clemmons (NC) Tries Brightly Colored Xwalks
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THE NATIONAL BICYCLE PARTY (!)
A short bike ride and a couple of hundred years separate
the founding of two revolutionary forces in America. In
1776 Philadelphia, a nation was born; in 2000 Philadelphia,
a party was born. The National Bicycle Party. In an address
to the delegates of the ProBike/ProWalk 2000 conference,
Bikes Belong Coalition's Richard Olken used the backdrop of
the nation's birthplace to sound a clarion call to arms
(and legs):
"Two Hundred Twenty-five years ago a bunch of angry and
determined men came here to Philadelphia in the heat of
summer with a bold vision, a very bold vision indeed. The
government saw them as rabble and troublemakers, and they
were. The Revolution they created has changed the world for
the better by making freedom and the pursuit of happiness
achievable for all.
"Well, it is time for us to start a new revolution, a
campaign to be waged in the streets and in the halls of
government, a campaign to make America bicycle-friendly,
walkable, and accessible for everyone, everywhere...It's
time to demand the right to bike...It's time to say I Bike
and I Vote! It is time for the National Bicycle Party!"
[Ed. Note: And, there's nothing we like so much as a good
party...]
To see the text of the entire address (as well as others
from the conference), see
http://www.bikewalk.org/speeches.htm
CDC ESTABLISHES STATE NUTRITION/PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY PROGRAMSThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has
awarded grants to various state departments of health for
plans and programs which can and should include bicycling
and walking. Two CDC divisions are involved.
The Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity is funding
six states to establish "State Nutrition and Physical
Activity Programs to Prevent Obesity and Related Chronic
Diseases." These include California, Connecticut,
Massachusetts, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Texas. The
program's purpose is to support states in developing and
implementing nutrition and physical activity interventions
using strategies such as policy-level change, environmental
supports, and social marketing. Each state will develop a
plan, form partnerships to carry it out, and implement the
physical activity interventions.
For its part, the Division of Adult and Community Health
selected 14 new states, bringing to 25 the total number
being funded to establish "State Cardiovascular Health
Programs." The new states are: Arkansas, Colorado,
Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota,
Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, and
Wisconsin. The 11 states previous selected and scheduled to
receive funding for a second year are: Alabama, Georgia,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The NCBW will be helping these states develop and implement
their plans. If you live in one of these states and would
like to get involved, contact us at info@bikewalk.org.
OBERSTAR DELIVERS SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL,MARIN CYCLISTS GET ROLLING
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) rolled out
their $100,000 Safe Routes to Schools Program as a part of
International Walk Our Children to School Day on October 4.
The Safe Routes to Schools pilot program is part of a
$50,000 cooperative agreement with the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a deal brokered by
U.S. House Representative James Oberstar. The MCBC also
received a $25,000 grant from the Marin Community
Foundation for the project, and is part of a $25,000 grant
from the California Office of Traffic Safety and Department
of Health Services.
Mr. Oberstar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member on the House
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, initiated
the effort to fund Safe Routes demonstration projects in
two American communities (a second pilot will soon be
initiated in the Boston area), following meetings with
Bikes Belong Coalition executive director Richard Olken and
NCBW executive director Bill Wilkinson.
"We must find a way to help promote a healthy lifestyle at
an early age," Oberstar said. This program will help change
these lifestyle patterns. It has the potential to improve
the living habits of an entire generation of
schoolchildren."
"We applaud and support Congressman Oberstar's outstanding
leadership on this and other bicycling legislation," said
Olken. "We urge everyone in the bicycle industry, advocates
as well as all others interested in promoting bicycling as
a means to a better America, to support him and Safe Routes
to Schools."
The Walk to School Day events in Marin marked the official
launching of the MCBC Safe Routes to School pilot program.
An average of 66% of the student population in the nine
participating schools came to school by walking, biking, or
skating that day (compared to an average of 10% of students
who usually arrive at school by their own power.)
"On October 4th, the cars stayed home. Walk to School Day
was a phenomenal kick-off for our year-long program," said
Debbie Hubsmith, Executive Director of the MCBC. "Parents
are already galvanized to have these kinds of events on a
regular basis. We're on the road to making everyday walk
and bike to school day."
To learn more about the MCBC Safe Routes to School project,
visit them on the web at http://www.marinbike.org.
[Ed. Note: we'll bring you more about the Marin Safe Routes
Program and other Safe Routes to School programs and
resources in the next CenterLines.]
Mr. Oberstar's Safe Routes to School Press Release (Aug. 9,
2000)
http://www.house.gov/transportation_democrats/press/000809_SafeSchoolRoute.htm
NHTSA's Safe Routes to School Press Release (August 9, 2000)
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/announce/press/pressdisplay.dbm?year=2000&filename=pr33-00.html
OBESITY CONTINUES CLIMB IN 1999 AMONG AMERICAN ADULTS
The prevalence of obesity in the United States continued
to grow in 1999, representing a serious public health
threat to millions of Americans, according to a CDC
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) letter to the
editor published in the October 4, 2000, issue of The
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
"Obesity rose 6 percent nationally between 1998 and 1999,
and the increase affected all regions and demographic
groups and most states in the United States. Obesity is
defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher. A BMI
of 30 in most cases means an individual is about 30 pounds
overweight. Since 1991, obesity among adults has increased
by nearly 60 percent nationally..."
source: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/pr-obesity.htm
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CALIFORNIA ADVOCATES WIN SOME, LOSE SOME
According to a story in the Walk San Jose Reporter,
"California bicyclist and pedestrian advocates were dealt a
painful blow as Democratic Governor Gray Davis vetoed
Senate Bill 1629(Sher), known to its supporters as The Good
Roads Bill. SB1629 would have placed in statute the need
for most major road projects to accommodate bicyclists and
pedestrians.
"Fortunately, Governor Davis did sign AB2522, The
Pedestrian Safety Bill, sponsored by Kevin Shelley, which
will fund an $8 million statewide grant program to pay for
local pedestrian and traffic safety engineering projects.
AB 2522 also increases the fine for drivers who injure a
pedestrian from $103 to $594 and raises the fine for
passing another vehicle at a crosswalk from $104 to $270.
"Davis also signed AB2140 which requires regional
transportation agencies to establish pedestrian indicators
in their twenty year plans, to disclose funding for
different modes and to model smart growth alternative land
use scenarios."
To subscribe to the Walk San Jose Reporter, send email to:
mail@walksanjose.org
NEW TUCSON CROSSWALKS A BOON FOR PEDESTRIANS
According to an October 9th story in the Arizona Star,
"Tucson's motorists are finally stopping for pedestrians,
thanks to an innovative new crossing that resembles an
ordinary traffic light. The "Hawk" crossing, as it has been
nicknamed, could be one of the most effective in the nation
on high-speed roads - stopping vehicle traffic an
astonishing 93 percent of the time, according to a study by
the University of North Carolina's Highway Safety Research
Center.
"'Drivers in Tucson have done very, very well,'" said city
traffic engineer Richard Nassi. 'When it goes red, they
basically all stopped. And that's something to be very
proud of.' The new crosswalk lights, which are in place at
a handful of locations throughout the city, resemble a
regular traffic signal. The bottom lens, however, is red,
and the signal remains dim until activated by a pedestrian
at the side of the road. The signal begins by warning
motorists with the middle yellow light, then flashes red
and finally goes solid red, giving a clear signal to
motorists to stop for pedestrians, Nassi said. In May,
voters approved $2 million in bonds to begin replacing the
flashing "box" crosswalks with the newer design..."
http://azstarnet.com/dstar/dstar/today/001009CROSSINGS.html
DENVER-AREA CYCLISTS PUSH FOR U.S. 36 TRAIL
According to an October 9th story in the Rocky Mountain
News, "Bicycle enthusiasts are pushing for construction of
a 15-mile bike path to Westminster as a way to help reduce
pressure on U.S. 36. Some highway officials say it is worth
looking at. 'I think it could be done,' said Regional
Transportation District board member Dick McLean. 'It makes
sense to me.'
"Bicyclists at Broomfield's Interlocken business park and
area high-tech firms are lobbying heavily for the
15-foot-wide bike path. They are asking RTD and the
Colorado Department of Transportation to include a bike
path in a package of proposals to ease congestion on U.S.
36. The expansion is needed to handle rapid growth along
the U.S. 36 corridor, which includes the 965-acre
Interlocken Park..."
http://insidedenver.com:80/news/1009bike8.shtml
GREAT BRITAIN, SAN JOSE SHARE WALK TO SCHOOL EXPERIENCES
According to a recent story in the Walk San Jose
Reporter, "In celebration of International Walk To School
Day, October 4, 2000, the children of Toyon Elementary
School in San Jose shared 'Twin School' experiences with
the children of Sheredes Primary School in Hoddesdon,
Hertfordshire, Great Britain. Reed School also
participated. Walk San Jose, in cooperation with Safer
Routes to School of Hertfordshire County, Great Britain, is
hosting their shared experiences, stories, and pictures on
our website. More schools from England and San Jose will
be submitting material next week.
Walk San Jose "also added a children's section as a
permanent part of our website, which will include letters
and thoughts about walking from the perspective of San
Jose's children. Schools, teachers, parents, and kids, are
invited to participate."
See http://www.walksanjose.org/walk2school.htm
According to an October 8th story in the Los Angeles
Times, "The Ventura County schools that joined hundreds of
others across America last week for National Walk to School
Day were taking a path that could help reduce such problems
as school-day traffic jams, air pollution, youth obesity
and the effects of cutbacks in physical education classes.
"Schools in Moorpark, Simi Valley, Oxnard and Ojai
participated in the annual event, which encourages parents
to leave their cars at home and walk or bicycle with their
children to school. This gives parents an opportunity to
teach their children safe pedestrian behavior and to
accompany students to make sure they take safe routes to
school, organizers say..."
source:
http://www.latimes.com:80/editions/ventura/comment/20001008/t000095819.html
CLEMMONS (NC) TRIES BRIGHTLY COLORED CROSSWALKS
According to a report in the October 5 Winston-Salem
Journal, "Motorists driving down Stadium Drive in Clemmons
[North Carolina] are likely to notice the brightly colored
crosswalks -- and that's the whole idea. 'These sorts of
designs have been used in Great Britain for years,' said
Larry Kirby, the assistant village manager for public
works. 'The product works there, so it might work here.'
"The red and green crosswalks are not painted on. There are
made from a colored polymer epoxy that adheres to the
pavement, giving a crosswalk a rough, no-skid texture.
Where paint might fade in a few years, the polymer won't
lose its bright color and is designed to last more than 10
years. .."
Source:
http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/local/winston/clem05.htm
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"DANGEROUS BY DESIGN: PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IN CALIFORNIA"
A 47-page report from STPP suggests that pedestrians
throughout California are in serious danger navigating
streets and intersections that are increasingly built for
speed and traffic. According to the report, Sacramento,
Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Santa Clara and San Mateo are
the state's five most dangerous counties for 1999. Regions
characterized by rapid growth and sprawling suburban-style
development, with wide streets and fast-moving traffic,
typically pose the worst problem. Can be read online or
downloaded as a PDF from:
http://www.transact.org/ca/design/default.htm
"LIVABLE TRAFFIC MEASURES FOR DOWNTOWN TOLEDO"
A report to Downtown ToledoVision, Inc. by Walter Kulash,
P.E., of Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart,
Inc. Discussion of various recommended measures to convert
one-way streets, introduce traffic calming, eliminate 2-way
turn lanes, etc. Can be read online or downloaded as a PDF.
http://www.toledovision.org/trafficmeasures/report_index.html
"SAN DIEGO 2020 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN"
The recently released Regional Transportation Plan for the
San Diego region is available in pdf format on-line. As
Stephan Vance, Senior Transportation Planner for the San
Diego Association of Governments says, "It's a big [4.6mb]
document, but the Bicycle and Pedestrian chapter can be
found on page 175-195."
http://www.sandag.org/whats_new/publications/transportation/2020rtp_final.pdf
"STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, PEOPLE AND CARS: THE CITIZENS'
GUIDE TO TRAFFIC CALMING"
A 52-page manual on evaluating and improving the safety of
neighborhood residential and commercial streets. By
Walkable Communities Director Dan Burden, the Guide
includes a toolkit with profiles of over 20 different
traffic calming measures; forms to audit street safety and
traffic speeds/volumes; and steps to implement traffic
calming measures. $10 per copy. The bibliography is
downloadable as a PDF.
http://www.lgc.org/publications/center/clcpubs2.html
"STREET-SMARTS - AN INTRODUCTION TO CITIZEN ACTION IN
MACON, GA"
An online introduction to local transportation politics by
Dan Fischer of CAUTION Macon, a citizens' group. "Citizens
affected by government action, be it local, state or
federal, usually feel overwhelmed. Unfortunately, this
leaves them resigned and dispirited - a very self-defeating
reaction! Citizens around the county, using democratic
processes, can and do make a significant difference;
CAUTION Macon has and continues to do so in Macon,
Georgia..."
http://www.cautionmacon.org/StreetSmartsDanFischer.htm
And now, for something completely different...
"SONG CYCLE: A CHOIR ON BICYCLES"
The Wheel Truth About Song Cycles: "We're a cult. It's
true. Why else would adults don purple and lime-green
attire and try and drown out the noise of big-city traffic
with melodic odes to the bicycle?..."
http://www.deepdownproductions.com/artists/songcycles.htm
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October 19-21, 2000: 3rd International Congress Greenways
in the Millenium; Gij¢n, Spain. Info: Fundaci¢n de los
Ferrocarriles Espanoles, fax: +34(0)91-528 09 86, email:
viasverdes@ffr.es
website: http://www.viasverdes.com
October 28, 2000: Northeast Bicycle Advocate's Conference,
Hartford, CT. Info: CT Bicycle Coalition at (860) 527-5200
or Thunderhead Alliance
website: http://www.thunderheadalliance.org
November 1, 2000: Velo-city 2001, Call for Papers
Deadline; see Sept. 2001 entry below for Conference and
access information.
November 1-2, 2000: Seguridad De Los Peatones En
Communidades Latinos (Pedestrian Safety in Latino
Communities), San Diego, CA. Info: Jeannie Galarpe voice:
(916) 323-3614.
January 7-11, 2001: 80th Annual Meeting of the
Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC. Info: TRB,
2101 Constitution Ave, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20418, voice:
(202) 334-2934 fax: (202) 334-2003
website: http://www4.nationalacademies.org/trb/annual.nsf
January 19-20, 2001: Redefining Community: A Smart Growth
Approach to Street and Neighborhood Design, Crime
Prevention, and Public Health and Safety conference, San
Diego, CA. Info: Michele Kelso, Local Government
Commission, 1414 K St, Ste 250, Sacramento, CA 95814,
voice: (916) 448-1198, e-mail: mkelso@lgc.org
website:
http://www.outreach.psu.edu/C&I/RedefiningCommunity/
February 20-22, 2001: Australia: Walking the 21st Century:
An International Walking Conference, Perth, Western
Australia. Info: John Seaton, Metropolitan Div., Dept. of
Transport, PO Box 7272 Cloisters Square, Perth, W.
Australia - 6850, voice: +61 8 9313 8680 fax: +61 8 9320
9497 e-mail: jseaton@transport.wa.gov.au
website:
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/conferences/walking/index.html
March 25-28, 2001,17th Annual ITE Spring Conference:
Improving Transportation Performance and Productivity,
Monterey, CA. Info: ITE, 525 School Street, SW, Suite 410,
Washington, DC 20024 USA , voice: (202) 554-8050 fax:
(202) 863-5486, email: ite_staff@ite.org
website: https://www.ite.org/conference2001/sixdays.asp
July 3-6, 2001,Environmental Design Research Association
(EDRA) Annual Meeting, Edinburgh, Scotland. Info: EDRA,
P.O. Box 7146, Edmond, OK 73083-7146, voice: (405)330-4863
fax: (405)330-4150, email:edra@telepath.com
website: http://www.telepath.com/edra/home.html
September 17-21, 2001, Velo-city 2001, Edinburgh/Glasgow,
Scotland. Info: Meeting Makers Ltd, Jordanhill Campus, 76
Southbrae Drive, Glasgow G13 1PP, Scotland, voice: 0141 434
1500 fax: 434 1519, e-mail: Velo_city@meetingmakers.co.uk
website: http://velo-city2001.org/
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JOB > PUBLIC HEALTH CONSULTANT: NORTH CAROLINA DHHS
Lead physical activity & nutrition state program consultant
policy position for health promotion policy development,
analysis & implementation. Also serves as a consultant for
policy & environmental level strategies related to physical
activity & nutrition for state cardiovascular health
program (cvh) & 6 lead cvh counties. For more information,
contact Deann Rudd at 919-715-3661.
JOB HEADS UP > ALBUQUERQUE BIKE TDM POSITION & BIKE/PED
PLANNER/COORDINATOR
No details yet but we'll post 'em when we get 'em. For now,
try contacting City of Albuquerque, Public Works Personnel
(505) 768-3686 or Marilyn Martinez (505) 768-2680 for more
info.
Send us your job, grant program, and request for proposals
announcements and we'll let a LOT of people know!
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SEND US YOUR NEWS: We want to hear what you're up to!
Contact john@montana.com today!
COPYING: We encourage you to copy our content as long as
you identify the source in this way: "from CenterLines, the
e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling &
Walking."
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Contributors: Bill Wilkinson, Peter Moe
Editor: John Williams Send news items to: john@montana.com
Director: Bill Wilkinson
------------------------------------------------------------
National Center for Bicycling & Walking, 1506 21st St NW,
Ste 200, Washington D.C. 20036 Voice: (202) 463-6622
Fax: (202) 463-6625
Email: info@bikewalk.org
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