| ------------------------------------------------------------ C-E-N-T-E-R-L-I-N-E-S ------------------------------------------------------------ #229 Wednesday, June 10, 2009 ------------------------------------------------------------ CenterLines is the bi-weekly e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking. CenterLines is our way of quickly delivering news and information you can use to create more walkable and bicycle-friendly communities. F-E-A-T-U-R-E-S I-N--T-H-E--N-E-W-S FEATURES AN INSPIRING NEW BOOK + SPECIAL A PRICE FOR CL READERS! -> In 2000, Mary Collins was in a near fatal bicycle crash in Alexandria, Virginia. She suffered multiple crushing injuries: some would be repaired over time, but some she would have to learn to live with, including ruptured disks in her back and a damaged sense of hearing and smell. I have known Mary only in her post-crash life; I came to know her when she called the National Center for Bicycling & Walking to talk to someone about why people aren't bicycling and walking. What changed? When and why? Mary was in the early stages of research for a book -- a book that would explore the history and culture of physical activity and inactivity. One might ask what would motivate a person nearly killed while riding a bike to want to chronicle physical activity. Prior to the crash Mary was a top athlete; her physical impairments changed her priorities and the way she looked at everything. Her research for the book set her off on a trek across America. Throughout the book, Mary, an award-winning writer, journals her visits with planners, health experts and others at the Olympic Center, on factory floors, at archeological sites, the National Zoo and many other locations. She explores the hazards of a society centered on desk jobs. She looks into why organized sports have made kids less fit, and advocates for more free play. She uncovers remarkable new research about how physical activity impacts the adult brain, and talks with experts about the growing imbalance between our overactive minds and our underused bodies. Urban planners, anthropologists, archaeologists, health professionals, sports trainers, historians, scientists, adventurers, and just about anyone that has an interest in people and places will find something to connect to in "American Idle." The book is a great read, but you don't have to take my word for it. Mary has negotiated a special deal with her publisher for all CenterLines readers. USING THE CODE BICYCLE MASTER PLANS WEBINAR SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 17th -> A one-hour webinar on creating Bicycle Master Plans is scheduled for June 17th, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A growing number of cities across the U.S. are creating Bicycle Master Plans, or BMPs. These are plans for developing bicycle infrastructure in a city, with emphasis on promoting bicycling as a viable transportation option and fostering a safe environment for bicycling. Join presenter Peter Lagerwey, who will lead webinar participants step-by-step through the process of creating a successful bicycle master plan. Peter has served for 25 years in the City of Seattle's bicycle and pedestrian program. He managed the development of Seattle's Bicycle Master Plan, oversaw construction of more than 150 miles of bikeways throughout the City, and published numerous reports, studies, design manuals, and professional articles. In September, Lagerwey will open a Seattle office for the Toole Design Group. Webinar participants will be given a copy of a guide, "Creating a Road Map for Producing and Implementing A Bicycle Master Plan," authored by Lagerwey and being published by the NCBW's Active Living Resource Center (ALRC). The Bicycle Master Plans webinar is part of the Professional Development webinar series, co-hosted by the National Center for Bicycling & Walking (NCBW), the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP), and Cullbridge Communications. The charge for each location is $50 for APBP members, and $60 for non-APBP members. Note that you can have more than one person at a given webinar site, but you can have only one computer link and phone line for audio under the fee structure above. This webinar has been submitted for AICP Certification Management (CM) credits from the American Planning Association. You can register for the Bicycle Master Plans webinar at: ADVOCATES: CONTACT SENATORS ABOUT SRTS BILL "It's even more important to show bipartisan support for Safe Routes to School given that two House Republican leaders, Reps. Boehner and Cantor, just called for the elimination of Safe Routes to School as part of their proposal to cut spending. "Senate Bill S. 1156 would expand funding for SRTS to $600 million per year, include high schools, simplify regulatory compliance to improve project delivery, and strengthen research and evaluation. All of these changes will make SRTS grants more widely available, and help more schools and communities across the country make it safer for children to walk and bicycle to school and get into healthier, greener habits." For more details on the legislation, including a summary of the bill's provisions, a list of supporting organizations, and the text of the legislation, visit: http://tinyurl.com/lbfa45 NEW YORK COMPLETE STREETS BILLS INTRODUCED -> According to the June 2nd Mobilizing the Region newsletter, "Assembly Transportation Committee Chair David Gantt and Senate Transportation Committee Chair Martin Dilan have sponsored complete streets bills in their respective houses (A8587/S5711). The legislation would require that 'bicycle and pedestrian ways and safe access to existing and planned public transportation' be provided whenever a public road is built or reconstructed. "The justification section of the bill memo cites federal statistics, an AARP poll, and a 2008 Tri-State Transportation Campaign report which found that older residents in the region were at higher risk of being killed as a pedestrian when compared to their younger neighbors and older residents in other parts of the country. AARP and the New York Bicycling Coalition have advocated strongly for the bill..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/nbb6ts OPINION SURVEY: NEXT AASHTO PEDESTRIAN GUIDE EDITION EDMONTON (AB) FUNDING $17M IN PED/BIKE CONNECTIONS -> According to the June 3rd Walkable Edmonton newsletter, "During the City's capital budget deliberations last fall, Councillor Don Iveson made a motion to increase funding for active modes of transportation by more than $10M over the next three years, which was approved. "In addition to current funding, this totals approximately $17M over 3 years. The programs that are covered by this budget include connecting isolated bus pads, developing multi-use trails, dealing with missing or poor condition sidewalks, building bicycle facilities, curb ramps, wooden walks & stairways." Source: http://tinyurl.com/mjorsa CT ASSEMBLY PASSES AMENDED COMPLETE STREETS BILL -> According to the June 2nd Mobilizing the Region newsletter, "The Connecticut General Assembly has passed an amended complete streets bill. The Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of the legislation last week; the House vote today was mainly along party lines. The bill now goes to Governor Rell's desk for approval. "While amendments to the legislation have weakened the bill, it still retains language that says at least 1% of transportation funding must be dedicated to bike and pedestrian infrastructure, establishes a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, and directs the ConnDOT Commissioner to provide a report at the end of 2009 and 2010 that consists of a list of bicycle and pedestrian access projects funded by the State Transportation Fund and by federal programs like the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ). In the past, ConnDOT has largely relied on one-time federal earmarks to fund bicycle and pedestrian projects and often ignored other federal sources. "Unfortunately the passed legislation withdrew language that would have pre-designated 5% of CMAQ funding for 'safe routes to school,' 'safe routes for seniors' and 'safe routes to transit' projects..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/nvrpmc ALR 2010 CONFERENCE SEEKS ABSTRACTS, AWARD NOMINATIONS -> According to a June 5th news release, "Active Living Research (ALR), a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has announced a call for presentation and paper abstracts, and a call for award nominations for its 2010 Annual Conference. The theme of the 2010 conference is "Engaging Communities to Create Active Living Environments." A secondary theme of the conference will be "Accelerating Progress in Reversing Childhood Obesity." Abstracts describing research results on all topics related to active living policies and environments are welcome and abstracts related to the conference theme are particularly encouraged." Call for Abstracts: http://tinyurl.com/mja7v3 "Also a part of the 2010 Annual Conference, the 'Translating Research to Policy' award will recognize innovators who have successfully harnessed research to impact policy and environmental changes. The winner will be announced at the conference, February 9-11, 2010 in San Diego, CA." Call for Nominations: http://tinyurl.com/nuq8ra LOCAL GOVT. COMMISSION TO HOST COMPLETE STREETS SYMPOSIUM -> According to a recent note from Anne Geraghty of WALKSacramento, "An all day Symposium will be held in Sacramento, CA, on July 10th. The symposium is being organized by the Local Government Commission with participation from the Sacramento Complete Streets Coalition and funded by the Sacramento County Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. For more info, go to: http://tinyurl.com/mxkwl3 REP. BLUMENAUER SHARES HIS NATIONAL BIKE PRIORITIES -> According to a June 4th BikePortland.org blog entry by Jonathan Maus, "A few weeks ago, in the Rose Room in Portland’s City Hall, U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer hosted an invite-only, roundtable discussion about biking. Around the large conference table sat electeds (like Metro President David Bragdon) and representatives from a variety of local, regional, and statewide agencies, universities, non-profits, and businesses. "Besides hearing the latest bike news and ideas from the experts in his home district, Blumenauer’s main goal of the meeting was to share and hear feedback on three specific initiatives he’s working on. Source: http://tinyurl.com/mjczsv NEW YORK CITY: BIKING UP, CRASHES DOWN -> According to the June 4th Transportation Alternatives' StreetBeat, "New data now reveals that there are 185,000 daily cyclists in New York City, an increase of more than one third from just four years ago. This staggering surge is not only a testament to the infrastructure improvements that have been implemented in the last couple of years, but also a contributing factor to the increased safety of cyclists throughout the city. "It's a well established fact that for bikers there is safety in numbers. With more cyclists out and about, more drivers are accustomed to sharing the road. In fact, cycling in New York City is safer now than it has been at any time in recent memory, so spread the word and hit the streets..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/lya7sv DEPT. OF ENERGY $$ FOR ENERGY CONSERVING TRANS. PROJECTS -> According to the May 2009 edition of the FHWA Transportation and Climate Change Newsletter, "The America Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 appropriated $3.2 billion for The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. Transportation strategies are eligible for funding. Applications for the funding must come from states, Indian tribes, or local governments. Grant application deadlines are May 26 for states and June 25 for local governments and tribes." For more info, go to: http://tinyurl.com/lyhyec ON URBAN STREETS, 3 OR 5 FT. CLEAR ZONES BETTER THAN 10 FT. -> According to an article in the Winter 2009 edition of the Midwest Transportation Consortium's MTC Bulletin, "Urban communities often have a limited amount of right-of-way available on their curbed roads for establishing a clear zone, the minimum setback distance of fixed objects from the curb. As a result, the cost of purchasing additional right-of-way must be weighed against the risk that fixed object crashes may occur if the clear zone is not implemented. "This project surveyed the current state of clear zone practice and examined the effects of a 10-ft clear zone on urban curbed streets in Iowa. The survey indicated that many states observe AASHTO's clear zone recommendations, while other states have altered the guidelines to better suit local design judgment. The study of Iowa corridors indicated that a consistent offset reduces the number of fixed object crashes, a 5-ft clear zone is most effective for minimizing the number of fixed object crashes, and a 3-ft clear zone is most effective for minimizing the cost of fixed object crashes." Source: "A Synthesis of Practice and an Evaluation of the Benefits of Meeting the 10 ft Clear Zone Goal on Urban Streets," by Thomas H. Maze, Iowa State University. (http://tinyurl.com/ohcm7q) For more info, go to: http://tinyurl.com/r9ps5e ALLIANCE GRANTS $125K TO START-UPS, INNOVATIVE CAMPAIGNS -> According to a June 4th announcement, "The Alliance for Biking & Walking is awarding seven grants totaling over $125,000 to grassroots biking and walking advocacy organizations. The Advocacy Advance Grants will be used to jump-start emerging advocacy organizations and to fund innovative campaigns with the potential to dramatically increase biking and walking. These grants are a key part of the Advocacy Advance Partnership with the League of American Bicyclists. Launched this year, the grants are made possible with generous funding by SRAM, Planet Bike, Bikes Belong, and Cannondale. Nearly 100 proposals totaling over $2 million were received in this first round." Awards include: -- Walk Oakland Bike Oakland will receive $15,000 matching grant to advocate for bicycle and pedestrian access in several upcoming street redesign projects. -- Pennsylvania Walks and Bikes will put a $30,000 matching grant to work to help build the first statewide coalition for biking and walking in Pennsylvania. -- Transportation Alternatives will use $25,000 for a major research project and advocacy campaign focused on developing comprehensive recommendations for procedural, investigative and legislative reforms of the broken system of traffic enforcement. -- San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) will receive $25,000 to design and advocate for a pedestrian-, bicyclist- and transit-rider-centered Market Street. -- League of Illinois Bicyclists will use a $5,000 grant to leverage a $5,000 matching grant to educate new and existing planners on proper bicyclist accommodations, education and encouragement, and bikeway funding tips. -- Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling and Washington Area Bicyclist Association will receive $9,600 to develop a handbook to help bicycling advocates understand how to best influence and play a constructive role during the design of new facilities. In addition, the Alliance is granting scholarships and travel stipends to the start-up grantees (Minnesota, Oakland, and Pennsylvania) to attend key trainings on membership development and winning campaigns. The Alliance thanks our funders, the League, and our volunteer grants committee for their assistance and support. For more info, go to: http://tinyurl.com/nyhxg9 DEADLINE FOR RTCA TRAIL GRANT PROPOSALS: AUG. 1, 2009 -> According to the May issue of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy rail-trail eNews, "The deadline to apply for the next round of Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) is August 1, 2009. A program of the National Park Service, RTCA is an important resource center for many trail builders in urban, suburban and rural areas." Rails-to-Conservancy eNews article: http://tinyurl.com/nm7e9h About the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program: "The Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program (also known as Rivers & Trails) works with a variety of partners across the United States to help them conserve rivers, preserve natural areas and develop trails and greenways. RTCA staff implement the natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation mission of the National Park Service in communities across America." Program FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/nujnzb BLOGGING THE INTERNATIONAL BIKE/PED SCAN -> In a June 2nd note, Andy Hamilton, Vice President of America Walks, wrote, "Announcing the availability of 'Streetswiki,' a new resource featuring short articles on transportation innovations. Streetswiki is a project of the Livable Streets Initiative, hosts of the popular StreetFilms and StreetsBlog. As with any 'wiki,' Streetswiki depends on its users to add new content and edit existing articles. Topics include street design (e.g. bike boxes, complete streets), key innovators (Donald Shoup, James Oberstar), noteworthy places (Portland, Copenhagen), and organizations (America Bikes, Project for Public Spaces). Use the articles and sign up to contribute your expertise." Go to: http://tinyurl.com/6jqlao SPRING 2009 SRTS PROGRAM TRACKING BRIEF NOW AVAILABLE -> According to the June 9th Safe Routes Matters newsletter, "During the first quarter (January–March) of 2009, the National Safe Routes to School Program continued to grow. The amount of SRTS funding announced during the first quarter of 2009 was $23.4 million, bringing the total funding states have announced to $355.2 million. State SRTS programs have awarded funding to 5,224 schools or local programs, up from 4,566 at the end of 2008." See the full tracking brief at http://tinyurl.com/4kt2fe PBIC LAUNCHES UPDATED IMAGE LIBRARY -> According to a recent note from Katy Jones, "The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center announces the launch of the updated and redesigned pedestrian and bicycle image library at http://tinyurl.com/nws9nf The PBIC Image Library is a searchable collection of free, high-quality images relating to walking and bicycling. Visitors to the site may use the images in any non-commercial projects including web pages, presentations and reports. There are no per-image costs, royalties, or extra payments for the images, but users must adhere to the Usage Guidelines posted on the site here: http://tinyurl.com/nkv9uh "The PBIC would like to encourage users to submit their own pedestrian and bicycle-related photos here: http://tinyurl.com/ndz5at For the next 6 weeks starting on June 1, users who submit their own related images will be automatically entered in a weekly random drawing. Users will be entered into the drawing for each image they submit, so your odds of winning increase as you submit more photos. The winning recipient for each week will receive one PBIC retro-reflective bike pants strap." Source: http://tinyurl.com/lbv8fc GOOGLE MAPS MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR BIKE WALK TWIN CITIES! -> In a May 19th Transit for Livable Communities news item, Tony Hull, Program and Evaluation Specialist for Bike Walk Twin Cities, asked, "Are you like me? Do you often have people ask you about how many bicycles use the Hiawatha trail by the Metrodome? I used to carry the 'Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Results for Fall 2008' everyplace I went, and I could quickly open it up and tell them that during the fall two-hour counts there were 333 bicyclists using the Hiawatha trail, up from 230 in 2007. "Why, just the other day I was shopping for groceries when someone inquired about the number of pedestrians using Central Avenue north of Lowry. Don't you know, I forgot to bring my copy of the 'Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Results for Fall 2008,' and I was not able to tell them that during the fall two-hour counts in 2008 that a volunteer observed 261 pedestrians at this location, up almost 70% from the 155 in 2007. "Well, thanks to Transit for Livable Communities making the fall 2008 count results available on Google Maps, I no longer have to carry around my tattered copy of the 'Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Results for Fall 2008,' I can just pop onto the internet and look up any of the bicycle or pedestrian counts from fall 2008 on Google Maps. "My life just got a great deal easier!" Source: http://tinyurl.com/m9lmk4 COMMENTS ON "RTP" & "TEA" IN NEXT TRANS. BILL -> According to the May 29th Recreation Trails Program and Transportation Enhancements Update, "Transportation interests continue discussions about the next surface transportation authorization legislation. Comments from people interested in the Recreational Trails Program [RTP] and Transportation Enhancement Activities [TEA] are at http://tinyurl.com/ma866e -- "Recreational Trails Program: Based on input from States and trail interests, several ideas are presented for consideration in discussions about the RTP. Draft Recreational Trails Program Ideas to Consider for Authorization are here: http://tinyurl.com/ku3euy -- "Transportation Enhancement Activities: Based on input from States and TE interests, several ideas are presented for consideration in discussions about the TE Activities. See "Draft Transportation Enhancement Activities Ideas to Consider for Authorization" http://tinyurl.com/ltv6oj -- "The Future of National Surface Transportation Policy, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/pcgpq8 -- "American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (various documents) at: http://tinyurl.com/lo8r8a -- "The League of American Bicyclists has links to several transportation authorization proposals from its American Bicyclist Update, May 26, 2009, will shortly be at: http://tinyurl.com/n7h7ft -- "American Trails hosts a page for the Coalition for Recreational Trails called 'Support the Recreational Trails Program.' http://tinyurl.com/l32pzt ..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/ncstdp MADISON (WI) INVITES FOLKS TO "RIDE THE DRIVE" AUG. 30TH! -> According to the City of Madison's website, "Ride the Drive is a celebration of anyone who wants to run, ride, skate or stroll in the city of Madison. This community event is an invitation for all citizens to leave their cars behind to experience some of Madison's most scenic byways a whole new way -- via bicycle, skate, stroller or foot. "A variety of activities will take place during the event, including a chalk walk for kids, musical performances, yoga demonstrations and more. Ride the Drive is about being car-free, smog-free, fat-free, traffic-free -- and most of all -- carefree. "Ride the Drive is free, family-friendly and open to the public for anyone who wants to run, ride, skate or stroll their way to better quality of life for Wisconsin's capital city." Source: http://tinyurl.com/nzd3x9 WEBINAR - GREEN MAIN STREETS: PRACTICAL STEPS -> According to an article in the June 8 edition of This Week at Main Street, "Everyone is talking 'green,' and the efficient design/density of downtowns can make Main Street the core of any sustainable community initiative. At the same time, our districts must retrofit buildings and rethink how we do business. But confusing terminology and competing technologies for green design make it hard to know where to begin. Let these leaders in the field of design and sustainability show you how it's done." Panelists: Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009 Go to: http://tinyurl.com/nv9hyb UNIV. OF CALIF. DAVIS SURVEY: 40% BICYCLE TO CAMPUS -> According to the June issue of ITS-Davis e-news, "The results of the third campus travel assessment are almost complete, and they show that a greater percentage of people biked and fewer drove alone to campus in 2008 than in 2007. While the changes were small -- 3% increase in biking and 5% decrease in driving alone -- they trend in the direction campus transportation planners would like to see..." According to the accompanying graphic, in 2008 40.2% biked to campus, 24.3% drove alone, 19.9% took the bus, 7.5% carpooled, 5.6% walked, 1.4% telecommuted, 0.8% took the train, and 0.3% skated. Source: http://tinyurl.com/mc3g7x
QUOTES R US
-> "Sooner or later, most communities come to see the trails as amenities, not nuisances." -> "Most people can't picture how a big box store zoning decision will change the way their neighborhood looks or feels, or how expanding a 2-lane road into a 4-lane one might impact their lives in 20 years. When faced with complex decisions like those, most citizens accept the default option: vote with their guts or don't vote at all." -> "As if offering the nation's only bicycle roadside assistance wasn't weird enough, Better World Club continues to challenge the very definition of 'auto club' by offering a 10% discount to new members who use public transportation."
IN
THE NEWS -> According to a May 30th News-Star article, "Louisiana schools need to be more pro-active in assuring that students in grades K-8 have at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day, says Rep. Patrick Williams, D-Shreveport. The House agreed Friday and unanimously approved House Bill 400, sending it to the Senate. Williams, a major proponent of physical fitness, has walked from Shreveport to Baton Rouge each of the two years he has been in the Legislature to bring attention to childhood obesity and autism. "'Because of the obesity problem, we have to get some physical activity in our schools,' he said. Childhood obesity is 'a national epidemic.' Although state law already requires activity in elementary schools, some schools aren't complying, he said. Rep. Jane Smith, R-Bossier City, a former Bossier Parish superintendent of schools, said instead of having daily activity 'some schools lump it all into one day.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/mxbdsz Via RWJF Child Obesity News Digest: http://tinyurl.com/mf3758 REVIEW: "PEDALING REVOLUTION" BY JEFF MAPES -> In a May 28th NY Times book review, David Byrne* wrote, "Full disclosure: I've ridden a bike around New York as my principal means of transport for 30 years, so I'm inclined to sympathize with the idea that a cycling revolution is upon us, and that it's a good thing. Like Jeff Mapes, the author of 'Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities,' I've watched the streets fill over the years with more and varied bike riders. It's no longer just me, some food delivery guys and a posse of reckless messengers. Far from it... "...The book is useful -- for those of us who occasionally find ourselves on the defensive, Mapes provides names, dates, facts and figures. He details how cities from Amsterdam to Paris to New York to Davis, Calif., have developed policies encouraging cycling in recent decades, and how other towns are just beginning to make way for bikes..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/l9lvao *Yes, that David Byrne! Check out this article: NEW URBANISM GAINING FOOTHOLD IN DENVER REGION -> In a May 31s Denver Post op-ed piece, Norman Garrick, a civil engineering professor at the University of Connecticut, wrote, "For years, we assumed that building wide highways, cul-de-sac subdivisions, and commercial/retail pods surrounded by parking made safer places. But our research shows that contemporary development patterns generate unhealthy side effects. "Now, cities are building new communities that draw on older, place-making traditions that produced the safer pre-1950s neighborhoods we studied in California. This emerging tradition, referred to as New Urbanism, is gaining a foothold in the Denver region with such places as Stapleton, LoDo, Prospect and Belmar. "Stapleton and Belmar are living laboratories where we are perfecting the lost art of building communities. They prove that there is strong market demand for walkable, people-oriented places. They prove that car-dominated sprawl is only one version of the American dream..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/m6uvel Related stories: "New Urbanism," by Susan Barnes-Gelt: SEATTLE'S FIRST PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN -> In a June 9th Ballard News-Tribune commentary, Seattle City Council member Nick Licata wrote, "Last month, the Seattle City Council's Joint Pedestrian Safety and Transportation Committee got a look at the recommendations for Seattle's first Pedestrian Master Plan. "You may remember that in 2007, as council president I created a special committee on pedestrian safety. The Pedestrian Master Plan Advisory Group, known as PMPAG, was convened by this new council pedestrian safety committee. "The PMPAG vision -- and mine too -- is that Seattle become a 'walking city' and recognizes that as we grow, people will walk in ever-increasing numbers. To be a 'walking city' we must make walking safer. I am committed to finding the funding to implement this plan after the council approves it..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/nyfxed The draft Pedestrian Master Plan is available on-line here: http://tinyurl.com/lrlpw4 BURLINGTON (VT) INITIATIVE PUSHES FOR SAFER STREETS "The effort will include a 'report recklessness' hot line, and a call for residents to become 'safe street ambassadors.' Spencer said he and others will disclose details of the collaborative's efforts at a kick-off event at 10:30 a.m. today on Burlington's Main Street, near the Democracy sculpture adjacent to the Chittenden Superior Courthouse. The initiative aims to improve how pedestrians, cyclists and motorists interact, Spencer said..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/ksraxd To learn more, go to the Local Motion website: http://tinyurl.com/m8dh33 VIRGINIA, MARYLAND CYCLISTS CELEBRATE NEW LINK -> According to a June 7th Washington Post article, "Shortly after noon yesterday, about 100 cyclists pedaled through the streets of Old Town Alexandria to do something they had never been able to do before: Bike the 1.1-mile span of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Maryland. 'To the bridge!' cried an elderly bystander, pumping his fist at the convoy as bystanders snapped photos of the event. "The bridge's bike and pedestrian trail was inaugurated yesterday morning, in time for National Trails Day. Politicians and cycling advocates made the trip from Alexandria to a new overpass on the Maryland side, near National Harbor. They cut ribbons, gave speeches and ate ice cream to mark an achievement that spanned 15 years of collaboration by Maryland, Virginia and the District..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/nf52vg Via StreetHeadlines: http://tinyurl.com/lb7ghk SEOUL (KR) TAKES DOWN HIGHWAY, SUMMER TEMPS DROP -> According to a June 5th Dorchester Reporter article, "In 1999, according to reporting by the Guardian UK, the city [of Seoul, Korea] was forced to close down one of three tunnels in the city, and much to the surprise of city engineers, car volumes dropped in the area. "That advent sparked an idea to take down a six-lane highway and another roadway that sat overtop of the former Cheonggyecheon river. Despite resistance from urban planners, local merchants and some residents, the city's Mayor Lee Myung Bak hatched a plan to create a five-mile long, 800-yard wide, 1,000-acre park in its place, complete with a revived Cheonggyecheon running through it. "After it was completed in 2005, many drivers switched to beefed-up public transit options, and the temperatures around the renewed river dropped an average of 3.6 degrees in the summer months, making the park a popular destination for tens of thousands of city residents every weekend..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/mu94z9 Via StreetHeadlines: http://tinyurl.com/lb7ghk AND NOW, FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT... CLASSIC BIKE NEWSREELS FROM 1930S-40S -> Historic European footage of unusual bikes from the late 1930s and early 1940s.
QUICK HITS
CELL PHONE ELBOW: NEW SIGN OF TIMES SUSTRANS SURVEY: SCOTTISH SCHOOL KIDS WALK AND BIKE!
RESOURCES -> "QUANTIFYING A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLACE-BASED..." -> "PRICE TAGS 107 - NYC1: TIMES SQUARE..." -> "HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED..." -> "DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVE CROSSWALK..." -> "SMART GROWTH POLICIES..." -> "GREEN CITIES - HOW URBAN SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS..." -> "KEY TRANSPORT STATISTICS: 2008" -> "CAN YOUNGER DRIVERS BE TRAINED TO SCAN FOR..." -> "THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS KEY ISSUES..."
CALENDAR Additional training
opportunities are available on the National Center for Bicycling &
Walking web site. Add your own items to the on-line calendar...it's quick
and easy. Please be sure your calendar items pertain to training and workshops
in the bicycle, pedestrian, or livable community fields. Go to: HEY, YOU! SEND US YOUR CALENDAR ITEMS -- PRONTO! -> June 10-14, 2009, CNU17, Experience the New Urbanism: The Convenient Remedy, Denver, CO. Info: -> June 14, 2009, 9:00AM, Bike to the Sea Day Ride, Malden, MA. Info: Bike to the Sea, Stephen Winslow, President; phone: (781) 397-6893; email: <swinslow.brownandgreen@verizon.net> subject: Bike to the Sea -> June 18-20, 2009, SmartCycling 2009, San Jose, CA. Info: League of American Bicyclists -> July 12-15, 2010, Rebuilding Sustainable Communities with the Elderly and Disabled after Disasters, Boston, MA. Info: phone: (617) 287-7116 -> July 28-29, 2009, Transportation Planning, Land Use, and Air Quality Conference, Denver, CO. Info: -> July 31 - August 2, 2009, Weekend on Wheels 2009, (League of American Bicyclist National Rally), Winona, MN. Info: -> August 9-12, 2009, ITE 2009 Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX. Info: Sallie Dollins, Institute of Transportation Engineers, 1099 14th Street, NW, Suite 300 West, Washington, DC 20005; phone: (202) 289-0222 ext. 149; email: <sdollins@ite.org> -> August 19-21, 2009, Safe Routes to School National Conference, Portland, Oregon. Info: phone: 503-226-0676, ext. 27; email: <info@saferoutesconference.org> -> September 2-4, 2009, 2nd International Urban Design Conference, Gold Coast, Australia. Info: -> September 15-16, 2009, Research to Practice Symposium Promoting Environmental and Policy Change to Support Healthy Aging, Chapel Hill, NC. Information and updates will be available at: -> September 17-19, 2009, Membership Development Training (for bike/ped advocacy organizations), San Francisco, CA. Info: Kristen Steele, Alliance for Biking and Walking, San Francisco Office, phone: (415) 513-5281; email: <kristen@peoplepoweredmovement.org> -> October 7-9, 2009, 10th Annual Walk21, New York City NY. Info: -> October 18-21, 2009, Transportation Assn. of Canada Annual Conference, Vancouver, BC. Info: -> October 18-22, 2009, Low Carbon Cities - 45th ISOCARP Int'l Congress, Porto, Portugal. Info: -> October 22-27, 2009, AASHTO Annual Meeting, Palm Desert, CA. Info: Hannah Whitney, American Assn. of State Highway & Transportation Officials; phone: (202) 624-5800; email: <hwhitney@aashto.org> -> October 25-27, 2009, Mid America Trails and Greenways Conference, Kalamazoo, MI. Info: contact Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, PO Box 27187, Lansing MI 48909; phone: (517) 485-6022; email: <info@michigantrails.org>. -> October 27-30, 2009, OECD World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy, Busan, KR. Info: -> November 12-13, 2009, 7th New Zealand Cycling Conference, New Plymouth, NZ. Info: -> November 13-15, 2009, Winning Campaigns Advocacy Training, Richmond, VA. Info: Kristen Steele, Alliance for Biking and Walking, San Francisco Office, phone: (415) 513-5281; email: <kristen@peoplepoweredmovement.org> -> September 13 - 17, 2010. Pro Walk/Pro Bike® the Sixteenth International Symposium on Walking and Bicycling, Chattanooga, Tennessee. JOBS, GRANTS, AND RFPS -> JOB -- COMMUNITY ORGANIZER -- TRANSIT FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES LOCATION: Twin Cities Metro SALARY: $30,000-$35,000 DOE; TYPE: Full Time/40 hours; DEADLINE: 6/26/2009 PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: TLC is expanding our organizing program by adding a second Community Organizer. We are seeking a highly motivated individual with a strong commitment to grassroots organizing. The Organizer, who will report to and work with the Senior Organizer, will hold the following responsibilities: EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Candidates should have 1-2 years of grassroots organizing experience (and/or significant volunteer leadership experience), including citizen mobilization, leadership development, coalition work, and strategic campaign planning. Candidates should have experience communicating with a variety of audiences and constituencies, using a database to store and track information, and should be computer savvy. Coursework or experience with transportation and land use policy, and experience with legislative advocacy are strongly preferred. Strong oral and written communications skills, time management, and decision making skills are essential. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Transit for Livable Communities is an equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. HOW TO APPLY: Source: http://tinyurl.com/kqdwlz -> CALL FOR PROPOSALS -- RAPID RESPONSE GRANTS -- RWJF This call for proposals (CFP) supports time-sensitive, opportunistic studies to evaluate changes in policies or environments with the potential to reach children who are at highest risk for obesity, including African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian-American and Pacific Islander children (ages 3 to 18) who live in low-income communities or communities with limited access to affordable healthy foods and/or safe opportunities for physical activity. Research studies may focus on one or both sides of the energy balance equation—on physical activity (including sedentary behavior), healthy eating or both. Studies funded under this CFP are expected to advance RWJF's efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis. Deadline: July 29, 2009 More info: http://tinyurl.com/qcaez4 -> CALL FOR PROPOSALS -- SUPPORTING ACTIVE COMM. -- RWJF Active Living Research is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) that supports research to identify promising policy and environmental strategies for increasing physical activity, decreasing sedentary behaviors and preventing obesity among children and adolescents. We place special emphasis on strategies with the potential to reach racial/ethnic populations and children living in lower-income communities who are at highest risk for obesity. Grants funded under this call for proposals (CFP) are expected to advance RWJF's efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. This funding opportunity from RWJF for New Connections research or publication grants through the Active Living Research program is for new investigators from historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities. Two types of grants will be funded under this CFP: New Connections research grants and New Connections publication grants. Deadline: July 29, 2009 More info: http://tinyurl.com/qcdksh -> JOB -- ADMIN. ASSOCIATE -- SRTS NAT'L PARTNERSHIP The non-profit Bikes Belong Foundation seeks a detailed-oriented and motivated professional with proven administrative, website management, and program implementation experience to work as a team-player for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership (the Partnership), a network of more than 400 organizations which are working to make it safer and easier for children to walk and bicycle to schools The full job description is available at http://tinyurl.com/pd55xw HOUSEKEEPING TO SUBSCRIBE
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statewide, and regional training events on NCBW's National Training Calendar: 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." Contributors: John Williams, Sharon Roerty, Gary MacFadden, Mark Plotz, Bob Chauncey, Chris Jordan, Linda Tracy, Russell Houston, Christopher Douwes, Jon Kaplan, Anne Geraghty, Darryl Jordan, Margo Pedroso, Khalil Spencer, Jeffrey Miller, Jennifer Toole, Shawn Turner, Michelle Dibblee, Tony Hull, Katy Jones, Bryan Davis, Wilson, Hubbell, John Cinatl, and Jaguares. Editor:
John Williams CONTACT US ©2009 - NCBW | The National Center for Bicycling & Walking is a program of the Bicycle Federation of America; http://www.bikewalk.org/contact.php |