 NCBW Newsroom - Regional and Local ActionsThe National & International Scene | Regional and Local Actions | The Research Beat | Resources | Jobs, Grants & RFPs DELAWARE COUNTY (IN) COALITION TO TACKLE OBESITY -> According to an Aug. 23rd Star Press article, "A local coalition of Delaware County organizations wants to put their money where your mouth is. Healthy Living Take Charge! was created to tackle one issue only -- obesity -- taking steps to lower the county's high obesity rates among adults and children." "'Instead of reinventing the wheel, coming up with a program that may get funded for a couple of years and that's it, we created small grants to assist agencies that already have a good track record creating obesity-focused programs,' said Tamara White, co-chairman of Healthy Living and a Delaware County Health Department employee. 'The focus on obesity is what we needed in this community and this way we're working on this issue.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2wvd48s TONGANOXIE (KS) TO GET $1M TRAIL EXTENSION -> According to an Aug. 9th Mirror article, "The Kansas Department of Transportation announced Monday a Tonganoxie trail project was among the 18 transportation enhancement applications selected for fiscal years 2011 and 2012. The city’s application was for the second phase of the Chieftain Trail and would extend the current 10-foot wide pedestrian/bicycle trail from the VFW along Tonganoxie Drive to Laming Road and then east to the new post office." "'It would get the kids under the highway,' City Clerk Kathy Bard said of the trail’s benefit. The city’s required 20 percent local match of $200,000 was included in the 2011 budget the Tonganoxie City Council approved Monday. Bard explained the money was included so that the council could make a decision should the grant be approved. The grant only pays for construction. In addition to its match, the city is responsible for design, easement and any utility relocation. Bard said the project required no easement acquisition..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/39duzev Via Kansas Trail News: http://tinyurl.com/38v3ww9 MIDDLE TENNESSEE BIKE/PED STUDY RECEIVES NAT'L HONORS -> According to an Aug. 30th news release, "A comprehensive study that creates a vision for bicycle and pedestrian mobility in Middle Tennessee -- completed in 2010 by the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization -- has been awarded the prestigious 'Best Project' designation by the Planning Council of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. This marks the first time ITE has bestowed its Best Project Award on an endeavor focused exclusively on non-motorized modes." "Presenting a well-researched and documented roadmap for allocation of limited resources on quality facilities, with the greatest number of benefits to citizens and the environment, the Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Study is the first all-inclusive vision for improving the overall climate for walking and bicycling across the MPO’s seven-county planning area." "Infrastructure recommendations include expansion of greenways, and a regional bicycle network that would provide more than 1100 miles of on-road bicycle accommodations, such as bicycle lanes and bike routes. On policy matters, the report calls for creation of sidewalks on all major thoroughfares -- ex., Nolensville Pike, Murfreesboro Road, Lebanon Pike, Gallatin Pike, Franklin Road, Dickerson Pike -- along with enhanced public education and law enforcement efforts to improve roadway safety conditions for all users..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/32zpukk Note: The Nashville MPO will be presenting at Pro Walk/Pro Bike® 2010. JACKSON (MI) BIKE/WALK TO SCHOOL NUMBERS UP -> According to an Aug. 30th Citizen Patriot article, "School starts next week, kids. It’s time to break in those walking shoes. Local officials who encourage fitness said they hope this year will be a good one for getting children to walk to school." "Scott TenBrink, executive director of the Fitness Council of Jackson, said his group has worked with eight schools in Jackson County to establish Safe Routes to School programs and to complete applications for new sidewalks, crosswalks, bike racks and promotional materials." "He said he has noticed more students walking and biking to school in Jackson Country. 'It’s also great for kids and the schools because (students) arrive more energized and focused,' TenBrink said. At the Jackson Arts and Technology Academy, TenBrink said the percentage of students walking and bicycling doubled from 2004 to 2007, from about 15 percent to 30 percent..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/282t7pd RENO (NV) EMERGING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CYCLISTS AND CITY -> According to an Aug. 30th Nevada Sagebrush article, "The trend of bicycling in Reno has gained momentum recently, and the city is steering it in the right direction. Additional bicycle lanes and organizations such as the Reno Bike Project are helping citizens become more acquainted with the cycling community. The city of Reno acknowledged the increase in popularity by adding official bike lanes to many neighborhoods around town this summer, specifically in heavily-traveled downtown areas such as California Avenue, Mill Street and Arlington Avenue." "'I think the city is trying to push for other modes of attraction to help the economy grow here,' said Kyle Kozar, a founder and co-executive director of the Reno Bike Project, a local non-profit bicycle-promotion organization. 'Casinos aren’t going to do it anymore. It’s just a sign of the times. Things like bicycling and the arts are going to bring people here.' The Reno Bike Project attributes the growth of Reno’s bicycle culture to a combination of expensive gas prices, the economic recession and the recent green movement that promotes environmental awareness..." "Felicia Archer, the public information officer for the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), said Reno has become a more bike-friendly community to accommodate people who choose bicycling for recreation, health or economic benefits. According to the RTC, one of the main goals of the revamped streets is to make traveling through Reno easier no matter the mode of transportation. 'We are a team,' Archer said. “We take a team approach to making complete streets. When we decide what the roads’ needs are, we consider bike facilities as we do any improvement.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/29gwszd 70+ CYCLISTS JOIN DELAWARE GOV RIDING NEW LANES -> According to an Aug. 27th WHYY radio story, "Dozens of cyclists joined Delaware Governor Jack Markell (D) and other elected officials in a ceremonial ride celebrating the official grand opening of bike lanes across the St. Georges Bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. The new lanes are the first dedicated bike lanes across the C & D Canal, and have been a long time coming. Amy Wilburn, who chairs the Delaware Bike Council, she says riders have been waiting for these lanes for more than 20 years.'It's been a long time and there's been a lot of effort that's gone into it, so this really is a huge milestone,' she says..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/3yhwd3h KNOXVILLE (TN) ROLLS OUT ROAD SHARING CAMPAIGNS -> According to Kelley Segars, there are some exciting campaigns going on in Knoxville this summer. As she put it, "We are in the midst of giving a 'Sharing the Road with Bicyclists' presentation to all Knox County high school drivers education classes. It would not be possible without the dedication of eleven volunteers! We present in teams of two. Each school takes an entire day of work, so you can see how much effort it takes when you multiply that by eight schools. We plan to continue this every semester because it is a valuable message to get out to this age group. It's a lot of fun interacting with the students and hearing the questions they come up with." "We have unveiled our 'I Bike' awareness campaign targeted at motorists (see photo!). If you're at Regal Cinemas, Pinnacle, look for Sherry Wiles' smiling face on the right side of the lobby. Linda Gray will soon be featured at West Town Mall. When I was putting the banner out at Regal, there were many people stopping to look at it, so I think it's going to be successful at conveying our message..." Source: http://bikeknoxville.blogspot.com/2010/08/exciting-progress.html MUSCLE SHOALS, KILLEN (AL) GET SAFE ROUTES $$ -> According to an Aug. 31st Times Daily article, "Killen and Muscle Shoals have received almost $250,000 to improve the safety of routes to and from school. The money is part of a federal Safe Routes to School program that is managed and administered by the state Department of Transportation." "Killen received $146,980 to add about five blocks of concrete sidewalk to the area around Brooks Elementary School off J.C. Mauldin Highway, according to Mayor Jerry Mitchell. The new sidewalk would connect existing sidewalks and give pedestrians designated walkways through the surrounding residential areas..." "Across the river in Colbert County, Muscle Shoals received $99,000 in grant money from Safe Routes to School. City Planner Bill Howard said the money will be used primarily to add thermoplastic to the intersections as well as to add flashing lights at the intersections around Webster and Highland Park elementary schools and Howell-Graves Preschool.'Because of where the schools are, this work should also help the high school,' Howard said..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/39z8juv NEW JERSEY SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS IN 2010 -> According to an Aug. 26th Mobilizing the Region article, "Fewer pedestrians and cyclists are dying on the Garden State’s roads, sidewalks and bicycle paths this year versus 2009, even as the number of drivers and passengers killed has more or less held steady." "According to NJ State Police year-to-date statewide fatal crash statistics through August 25, total fatalities are down to 351, an 8.1 percent decline from the 380 persons killed during the same period last year. (These 2010 statistics are preliminary and will likely be revised up, but not enough to significantly offset the decline.)" "What’s most striking about the statistics is the victim classification break down. A 25 percent decline in bicycle and pedestrian fatalities makes up the entire year-to-date reduction in statewide traffic fatalities..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2ejupl7 NEW PED XING SIGNAL IN ST. CLOUD (MN) A SUCCESS -> According to an Aug. 16th Minnesota 2020 article by Conrad deFiebre, St. Cloud, Minn., has installed "a new, cost-effective technology that safeguards people walking across six-lane Hwy. 23 without an overall slowdown in vehicular traffic. It's a crosswalk signal system that blinks off most of the time but flashes yellow, then red, when pedestrians press a curbside button. Blake Redfield, the city's traffic systems manager, said it grabs motorists' attention better than simple crosswalk signs or always-on yellow flashers." "St. Cloud installed the system, the only one of its kind so far in Minnesota, last fall as part of a wider redesign of the area around a new public library, Technical High School and the Lake George recreation area - all big pedestrian traffic generators. It replaced a full-blown traffic signal at low-volume 12th Avenue with the new crosswalk lights...No pedestrian mishaps have been reported in the 10 months the new lights have been flashing in St. Cloud, Redfield said. There's a bonus for taxpayers, too. The new systems price out at $70,000 to $80,000 per crosswalk, less than half the cost of traditional traffic signals..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2adkpp7 Via Minnesota Active Living Network Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/2vt997v MARIN CO. (CA) BICYCLE COALITION LOBBIES FOR TRAIL $$ -> According to the Aug. 25th edition of the MCBC Weekly Bulletin, &quto;The Marin County Bicycle Coalition has been working closely with Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) to raise additional funds for the [North Bay Bicycle Pedestrian Pathway]. On Friday, SMART submitted a $17.6 million grant request to the US DOT for a TIGER II grant to build 36 miles of the bicycle and pedestrian pathway." "Last week MCBC's Advocacy Director Deb Hubsmith traveled to Washington DC with SMART's chair Deb Fudge and board member Charles McGlashan to advocate for the TIGER II grant which is being supported by Senator Boxer and Congresswoman Woolsey. The pathway will carry from 7,000 to 10,000 people walking and bicycling each day..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/3yoxo9p Get a jump start on this news by subscribing to CenterLines. Discuss these news articles with other advocates in the Forum section of the ALRC Commons. |
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