------------------------------------------------------------
Bush Budget Cuts CDC, Phys. Activity $$
"Community Character" Bill Introduced
Investing In Destination Urban Villages
NYSDOT Kicks Off Land Use/Transp. Study
Physical Activity Trends: U.S. 1990-1998
More American Children, Teens Overweight
Active Life Style Cuts Cancer Risk
CDC Study Links Air Quality, Asthma
National Employee Health, Fitness Day
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E. Coast Greenway "2 Beginnings" Celebration
Perrysburg, Wants To Be "Bicyclist-Friendly"
Environment Ministers In UN Bike Ride
Footbridge Backed In Tempe, AZ
Greenways May Link 7 SE MI Counties
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BUSH BUDGET CUTS CDC, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FUNDING
President George Bush's budget proposal, which he has
submitted to Congress, significantly cuts chronic disease
prevention activities at the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, including cuts in the nutrition and
physical activity program. Prior to the 2000 election their
was strong bipartisan support for increase funding for the
public health services.
The President's budget calls for a 23 percent decrease in
funding for CDC's Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion including a 10 percent cut in the Division of
Nutrition and Physical Activity. The President suggests
decreasing CDC's overall budget by 2.6 percent -- from $4.2
billion in FY 2001 to $4.09 billion for FY 2002.
Negotiations are underway in Congress, where there remain
good support and understanding of CDC programs.
[Ed. Note: Thanks to Margo Wootan of the National Alliance
for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) for keeping us up-to-date
on this important issue. NANA is a coalition of more than
150 health-related organizations, public agency programs,
and other interests including the National Center for
Bicycling and Walking, Association of Pedestrian and
Bicycle Professionals, Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin,
Bikes Belong Coalition, League of American Bicyclists,
California Bicycle Coalition, Rails to Trails Conservancy,
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Surface Transportation
Policy Project, and the Thunderhead Alliance. If your
organization is interested in joining NANA, contact the
Center for Science and the Public Interest at (202)
332-9110 x351]
"COMMUNITY CHARACTER" BILL INTRODUCED
According to an April 6th release from the American
Planning Association, "On April 4, 2001, the Community
Character Act of 2001 (H.R. 1433) was introduced in the
U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Earl Blumenauer
(D-OR) and Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD). The bill would
authorize a $50 million grant program for federal
assistance to states for reform of outdated state planning
statutes and improved state and regional planning. H.R.
1433 was referred to the House Resources Committee and
House Financial Services Committee.
"H.R. 1433 would provide $50 million to states, multi-state
regional programs and tribal governments to assist in
revising land use planning legislation and developing
comprehensive plans. The bill is intended to support
efforts to promote improved quality of life, economic
development and community livability through planning
reform. Grants could be used to obtain technical assistance
and support for a state's review of growth and planning
laws. Activities such as researching and drafting state
legislation, conducting workshops, holding public forums,
promoting regional cooperation and supporting state
planning initiatives would qualify for federal assistance.
Grant guidelines call for planning that coordinates
transportation, housing and education with infrastructure
investments and conserves historic, scenic and natural
resources.
"Currently, more than half the states are still operating
under planning statutes devised in the 1920s. And, even in
those states with updated planning laws, communities are
struggling to find and implement tools to grow smarter and
in ways consistent with the values and vision of the
citizens. This legislation promotes smart growth principles
and encourages states to create or update the framework
necessary for good planning without imposing federal
mandates. H.R. 1433 would provide critically needed federal
support for planning reform but would not undermine local
control of land use decisions. This program is a small
investment that will bring substantial dividends in
improving the livability of our cities, towns and
neighborhoods."
http://cw2k.capweb.net/planning
INVESTING IN DESTINATION URBAN VILLAGES
According to a recent news release from the National
Town Builders Association, "The NTBA announced a new
collaborative of funds that will invest upwards of $100
million in cities and towns through New Economy Town (NET)
real estate pilot projects. The goal of the venture, called
the NET Collaborative, will be to attract knowledge workers
by creating destination town centers that strategically
integrate compelling workplace, entertainment, retail and
residential environments. The collaborative will assemble
customized consortiums of NTBA members with expertise in
each of these environments and is currently seeking
assistance with identifying sites for these investments.
Today's Gen-X and Y knowledge workers want the flexibility
to work either at home, in local cafes, or at neighborhood
satellite offices, possibly all in the same day...
socializing and nightlife are a priority, and they seem to
be resisting the isolated office park lifestyles of their
baby boomer parents, says NTBA executive director Neil
Takemoto, a Gen-Xer himself.
The NET pilot projects will connect universities tightly
with the high-tech companies," says Bruno Bottarelli,
managing director of the Marquette Companies and director
of the NET Collaborative. Our goal is to create the kinds
of places that workers don’t want to leave, while providing
the community amenities, activities and organizations that
support a more work-live balanced lifestyle.
"The greatest shift in history has been from a mass
production-based economy to a knowledge-based economy,"
says NET Collaborative advisor Richard Florida of Carnegie
Mellon University. Knowledge workers don't believe money is
enough. They like to mix fun with work, in close proximity
to outside activities and recreation."
Joel Kotkin, author of The New Geography agrees, "We used
to say the Internet was going to make us a placeless
society, but the irony of the new geography is that the
Internet makes place more important than ever."
http://www.ntba.net
http://www.smartgrowthnews.com
NYSDOT KICKS OFF LAND USE/TRANSPORT STUDY
According to the April 24th issue of Mobilizing the
Region, "NY State DOT and Long Island Railroad officials
joined elected leaders from five towns and nine villages to
begin the extensive 'Sustainable East End Development
Study' last Friday. 'We are inviting our citizens,
community groups, business interests, transportation
providers and others to learn about the connections between
land use planning and our transportation networks, and to
articulate how they want the East End to look and how they
want to get around here in the next 25 years,' said Shelter
Island Supervisor Gerard Siller.
"The NY Metropolitan Transportation Council has helped
municipalities and agencies establish joint land
use/transportation studies in the Hudson Valley (see MTR
#311). The East End study is the first such effort on Long
Island. The range of municipalities involved makes it the
largest yet of NY's "sustainable development" studies. The
organization several years ago of the East End
Transportation Council, an arm of the East End Mayor's and
Supervisors Association, is permitting the unusual scale of
inter-municipal cooperation."
The study is expected to begin in late May and to take
18-24 months. For information, contact Suzanne Donovan,
East End Transportation Council at 631-477-0300, or Gerry
Bogacz at NYMTC, 212-938-3443.
NEWS FROM THE CDC: 1st Quarter 2001
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TRENDS --- UNITED STATES, 19901998
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have
released a summary report on leisure-time physical activity
during 19901998, using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor
Surveillance System (BRFSS). The analysis of the BRFSS data
indicates that leisure-time physical activity trends have
remained unchanged.
The prevalence of those who engaged in recommended levels
of activity increased slightly from 24.3% in 1990 to 25.4%
in 1998, and the prevalence of those reporting insufficient
activity increased from 45.0% in 1990 to 45.9% in 1998
(Figure 1). Those reporting no physical activity decreased
from 30.7% in 1990 to 28.7% in 1998.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5009a3.htm
[Ed. Note: While the levels of physical activity are
"stable," the tremendous increase in levels of obesity
during the same period underscore the need for a
coordinated and concentrated campaign to increase physical
activity in the U.S. (see next item).]
MORE AMERICAN CHILDREN AND TEENS ARE OVERWEIGHT
The latest findings from CDC's National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey show that more and more
children and teens are overweight, continuing the pattern
the survey documented over the past two decades when the
number of overweight children and teens nearly doubled. The
initial results for 1999 show 13 percent of children ages 6
to 11 are overweight, up from 11 percent in the previous
NHANES survey conducted from 1988 to 1994. The number of
overweight teens ages 12 to 19 increased from 11 to 14
percent in the same time period.
"Overweight children are at risk for cardiovascular
diseases, diabetes, and other serious health problems. They
are part of an epidemic of overweight and obesity that must
be addressed so that they can lead healthier lives," said
Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan, Director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. "This survey provides the critical
information we need on overweight, diet and physical
activity to help develop the strategies for healthier
children and families."
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r010312b.htm
ACTIVE LIFE STYLE CUTS CANCER RISK
According to the April 20th edition of the CDC's
Physical Activity List, "...Regular physical activity
reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer, and possibly
that of endometrial cancer and prostate cancer. Up to one
third of tumors of the colon, breast and kidney can be
attributed to overweight and insufficient physical
activity. These were the main conclusions of a panel of
international experts convened at the International Agency
for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization
(WHO) in Lyon on 13-20 February 2001. Their full review and
evaluation of the relevant scientific information will be
published later this year in Volume 6 of the IARC Handbooks
of Cancer Prevention..."
http://www.iarc.fr/pageroot/UNITS/Chemoprevention2.html
CDC STUDY LINKS AIR QUALITY AND ASTHMA
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recently released a study showing that decreased citywide
use of automobiles in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer
Olympics led to improved air quality and a large decrease
in childhood emergency room visits and hospitalizations for
asthma. Atlanta's inner-city children on Medicaid seemed to
benefit the most from this Olympic experiment in city
transportation planning, showing a 42% decrease in
asthma-related emergency room visits. The study was
released in the February 21st edition of Journal of the
American Medical Association (JAMA).
[Ed. Note: We would like to acknowledge the work of the
Atlanta Bicycle Campaign for their tireless work to promote
bicycling as a preferred alternative during the '96 games.]
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r010221.htm
NATIONAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND FITNESS DAY
May 16th will be the National Employee Health and
Fitness Day, according to the April 20th edition of the
CDC's Physical Activity List. [Sounds like something
cycling and walking advocates should get involved with!]
"Sponsored exclusively by the National Association for
Health & Fitness (NAHF), NEHF is an excellent activity for
companies of all sizes, whether just starting a worksite
wellness program or enhancing an existing program. Launched
nationally in 1989, NEHF encourages employees to become
more active and healthy through fun, non-competitive
activities. To get started, request the NEHF Event Planning
Kit. The kit includes year-round activity suggestions so
your company can celebrate NEHF 365 days a year. NAHF also
has a resource and product guide that contains incentives
and programs to fit every health promotion budget.
http://www.physicalfitness.org
------------------------------------------------------------
EAST COAST GREENWAY "TWO BEGINNINGS" CELEBRATION
According to an April 20th news release from the East
Coast Greenway Alliance, "The Calais Waterfront Walkway and
the Key West Overseas Heritage Trail will be officially
designated as part of the East Coast Greenway on June 2nd,
National Trails Day. This northern beginning segment of the
East Coast Greenway or 'Gateway' in Maine will be
simultaneously designated along with the southern 'Gateway'
in Florida via a live video link. The event will symbolize
the connection between Calais and Key West provided by the
East Coast Greenway, the 2,600 mile multi-use trail for
bicyclists, equestrians, walkers and the physically
challenged that will stretch along the Eastern Seaboard of
the United States. The Mayors will host other symbolic
"links" between the two Gateway cities provided by this
long-distance trail. Themes demonstrating the similarities
and the diversity of Maine & Florida will be highlighted -
tourism, fishing, cuisine (e.g. Blueberry & Key Lime pie).
NATIONAL TRAILS DAY is a nationally celebrated day of
locally planned and organized events to raise awareness of
America's trails. It is coordinated by the American Hiking
Society to raise public awareness about our trail and to
promote partnerships among trail groups, businesses, public
land managers and government officials...."
For more information, contact Karen Votava at
kvotava935@aol.com (401) 789-1706 or Tony Barrett at
kelbar@loa.com (207) 833-0939 or visit the following
websites:
http://www.greenway.org
http://www.americanhiking.org/events/ntd/index.html
PERRYSBURG, OH, WANTS TO BECOME "BICYCLIST-FRIENDLY"
According to an April 26th article in the Toledo (OH)
Blade, "As Perrysburg continues to grow it should be
thinking more about bike and pedestrian safety, Councilman
Walter Hales says. 'We're getting strangled by our own
roads,' he said.
Now, he's asking city council to apply to the League of
American Bicyclists for national status as a
Bicyclist-Friendly Community - a program that began in 1995
and has designated 52 such communities, including Bowling
Green.
"The designation not only would promote Perrysburg, it also
would remind - though not necessarily require - government
officials and future developers to keep non-motorized
transportation as safe as possible as they lay out
neighborhoods and commercial developments, Mr. Hales said.
'It's a matter of getting the city officially on board,'
Mr. Hales said. 'There's no radical changes, but in the
future, we might advocate subtle changes in zoning to make
things more biker and pedestrian friendly.'
Source:
http://www.toledoblade.com:80/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Avis=TO&Dato=20010426&Kategori=NEWS18&Lopenr=104260009&Ref=AR
Search (30 days):
http://www.toledoblade.com:80/apps/pbcs.dll/oversikt?Kategori=ARCHIVES30
Title: Perrysburg seeks to join bike program
ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS SAVE ENERGY IN UN BIKE RIDE
According to an April 20th Reuters story, "Environment
ministers from six nations took a quick bicycle ride around
the United Nations compound Thursday to tout the energy
savings that would result if more people used bikes instead
of cars. Joined by some 20 U.N. staffers and bicycle
activists, the environmental leaders rode shiny red
bicycles a total of about 80 yards down a paved, tree-lined
path to a small stage where several gave brief speeches to
a small group of reporters.
"The ministers were in New York for a two-week session of
the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development, discussing
how energy and transport policy could contribute to
environmental protection. 'I see only positive things in
promoting cycling,' Finnish Environment Minister Satu Hassi
told reporters. Ministers from Belgium, the Czech Republic,
Finland, Norway, South Africa and Sweden participated in
the event."
Source:
http://www.enn.com:80/news/wire-stories/2001/04/04202001/reu_energy_43152.asp
FOOTBRIDGE BACKED IN TEMPE, AZ
According to an April 26th story in the Arizona
Republic, "A long-fought plan to build a pedestrian bridge
over U.S. 60 at Country Club Way is getting the backing of
Tempe's transportation staff as the City Council takes up
the issue tonight. Residents remain sharply divided over
whether it would benefit or harm the area.
"Some residents argue that the bridge would provide a
much-needed link for schoolchildren and other pedestrians,
cyclists and people with disabilities... Others residents
fear it would bring added traffic, crime and noise into
their neighborhoods, and would be an unsafe pathway. They
have fought the idea for years.
"The state Department of Transportation and city will share
the estimated $2_million cost of the bridge, approaches and
path amenities..."
Source: http://www.azcentral.com:80/news/0426bridge26.html
Search: http://www.azcentral.com/archive/
Title: "Footbridge is backed in Tempe"
Author: Susie Steckner
Cost: $2
GREENWAYS MAY LINK 7 SE MICHIGAN COUNTIES
According to an April 19th story in the Detroit News,
"Livingston County communities are trying to become more
attractive to walkers and bicyclists. And ultimately, by
expanding their trails, places such as Howell, Brighton and
Hamburg Township want to connect to a wider network that
could connect all seven counties in southeastern Michigan.
"The Greenways Initiative is a program involving community
planners, business leaders, environmentalists and nature
enthusiasts, who attended workshops last week. There, they
learned about the plan to link Livingston, Oakland, Macomb,
St. Clair, Washtenaw, Wayne and Monroe counties with a
system of natural corridors...
"Developing a system of trails is crucial in Hamburg
Township, where most people live in disconnected
subdivisions and have to take a car wherever they go, said
township businessman Ralph Neri, a volunteer with Friends
of Hamburg Greenways. 'Our primary objective is for the
trails to provide an alternative to getting around,' he
said. 'The only way around now is by automobile. Riding a
bike is dangerous, and out of the question for
children.'...Neri said his group's vision is to develop
arteries to and from the Lakeland Trails, which run along
the path of the old Grand Trunk railway."
Source:
http://detnews.com:80/2001/livingston/0104/22/d05l-214289.htm
Search: http://detnews.com:80/search/index.htm
Title: "Bike path network envisioned"
Author: Karen Bouffard
------------------------------------------------------------
"COMMUNITY DESIGN AND TRANSPORTATION POLICIES: NEW WAYS
TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY"
In an article in "The Physician and Sportsmedicine" (Vol
29, #2 February, 2001), Rich Killingsworth, Physical
Activity Interventionist at the CDC, recently said "...for
the US population, in which 29% of adults are sedentary and
more than 50% are overweight (4), becoming moderately
active can provide a meaningful health benefit.
Inactivity's negative effects have generated interest in
collaboration between public health, city planning, and
transportation organizations..."
http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/2001/02_01/killingsworth.htm
"THE VTPI ONLINE TDM ENCYCLOPEDIA"
"The first comprehensive Internet tool for Transportation
Demand Management planning is now available free at the
Victoria Transport Policy Institute website. The VTPI
Online TDM Encyclopedia is a unique new resource that
provides comprehensive information about Transportation
Demand Management (TDM). It is available free at the
Victoria Transport Policy Institute (VTPI)."
http://www.vtpi.org .
"COMPETING IN THE AGE OF TALENT: ENVIRONMENT, AMENITIES,
AND THE NEW ECONOMY"
In a January 2000 study, Richard Florida of Carnegie-Melon
University focused on the kinds of amenities that attract
technology workers. One finding: "A major concern...is the
accessibility of amenities. Participants expressed a strong
preference for regions where amenities and activities are
easy to get to and available on 'just-in-time' basis, with
easy access on foot, bicycle, or via public
transportation. Many of the younger knowledge workers did
not have cars and wanted to locate in regions where they
did not need a car..."
http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/~florida/talent.pdf
"WALKING AND BIKING FOR TRANSPORTATION: FUNDING AND
OTHER RESOURCES"
A webpage devoted to funding ideas from the Chicago Area
Transportation Study (CATS). While the ideas relate to
Illinois and Chicago, many would be useful elsewhere.
"Sometimes planning efforts are constrained by concern
about_ limited implementation resources--why do a grand
plan when there is no money to turn it into a reality?_
However, projects that are part of comprehensive plans
often have a competitive edge over stand-alone projects.
Also, there are many different ways to combine funding and
other resources."
http://www.catsmpo.com/bikeped/funding%20ideas.htm
"TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE: THE SEARCH FOR QUALITY
IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT"
Section F of the New York Lt. Gov's "Quality Communities"
report says, in part, "Infrastructure decisions have a
profound and lasting impact on our communities. In fact,
the impetus for many Quality Communities Principles has
been the automobile-induced sprawl characterizing our inner
and outer ring suburbs." Nice photos, too.
http://www.state.ny.us/ltgovdoc/77_88_sec_f.html
------------------------------------------------------------
May 13-19, 2001, Bike to Work Week. Info: League of
American Bicyclists, 1612 K Street NW, Suite 401,
Washington, DC 20006-2082, voice: (202) 822-1333, fax:
(202) 822-1334, email: bikeleague@bikeleague.org
website: http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/bikemonth.htm
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
August 3-5, 2001, Bikefest 2001 - LAB's National Rally,
Altoona, PA. Info: League of American Bicyclists, voice:
(202) 822-1333, email: bikeleague@bikeleague.org
website: http://www.bikeleague.org/rallies/rallies.html
August 16-18, 2001, First National Congress of Pedestrian
Advocates, Oakland, CA. Info: AmericaWalks, email:
info@americawalks.org
website: http://americawalks.org/news/congress/
September 13-16, 2001, Rail~Volution: Envisioning the New
Frontier, San Francisco, CA. Info: (503) 823-6870.
website: http://www.railvolution.com/ataglance.htm
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/
September 21-22, 2001, New Zealand Cycling Conference 2001,
Chateau on the Park, Christchurch. Call for Papers out now.
Info: NZ Cycling Conference, PO Box 237, Christchurch, NZ,
voice: 03 371 1472, fax: 03 371 1864. email:
cycling@ccc.govt.nz
September 26-29, 2001, TrailLink 2001: the 3rd
International Trails and Greenways Conference,
St. Louis, MO. Info: Rails- to-Trails Conservancy,
voice: (202) 974-5152, email: rtcconf@transact.org
website: http://www.railtrails.org
October 4-6, 2001, Innovative Approaches to Understanding
and Influencing Physical Activity, Dallas, TX. Info: The
Cooper Institute, Dallas, TX.
website: http://www.cooperinst.org/conf2001.asp
------------------------------------------------------------
JOB > THUNDERHEAD ALLIANCE EXEC. DIRECTOR
The Thunderhead Alliance is a growing coalition state and
local organizations advocating for bicycle-friendly
communities. Our mission is to increase bicycling in the
United States by securing more funding for bicycle projects
and programs and improving policy to facilitate bicycling.
With the help of the Board of Directors, the Executive
Director will play the key role in crafting, funding and
carrying out the strategic plan. Fundraising, fiscal and
contract management, and grassroots advocacy experience are
critical skills. The successful candidate will understand
Washington DC culture and will be an opportunistic
fundraiser. Salary $32,000 - $40,000 with benefit stipend,
DOE. For more information, contact Board Member Chris
Morfas at (916) 446-7558 or chris.morfas@calbike.org
------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------
Contributors: Bill Wilkinson, Peter Moe, Margo Wootan
Editor: John Williams Send news items to: john@montana.com
Director: Bill Wilkinson
------------------------------------------------------------
National Center for Bicycling & Walking 1506 21st St NW,
Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20036 Voice: (202) 463-6622
Fax: (202) 463-6625
Email: ncbw@bikefed.org