Biking and Walking News 7-6-12
Ira Weiss
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Biking & Walking News
Ira S. Weiss, Editor July 6, 2012
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Fairfield Heritage Trail Association Monthly meeting agenda – July 10, 2012 – 6:00 pm
Olivedale Senior Center, Lancaster, OH (Rosedale Meeting Room, basement)
NOTE: AGENDA MAY BE ADJUSTED TO FACILITATE MEETING FLOW
1) CALL TO ORDER
2) APPROVAL OF June 12, 2012 MEETING MINUTES
3) APPROVAL OF THE TREASURER’S REPORT
4) Reports on/discussions oF ONGOING items
a) Safe Routes to Schools
b) Lancaster Trail Update/Signs/Educational Opportunities
c) Johns Trail Update
d) Regional Planning Commission Subcommittee/road signs
a) Tour de Cause
b) Covered bridge sign
c) Graffiti-Ann Probasco
d) Thank you notes
6) ADJOURN
SAVE THE DATE: Central Ohio Greenways & Trails Forum
Friday, July 13, 2012
10:00 am –1:00 pm
Location
Coffman Park, Coffman Pavilion
5200 Emerald Parkway,
Dublin, Ohio 43017
Agenda:
Welcome & Introductions
Earn A Bike Program –Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
How We Roll –YayBikes
MORPC Trail Counters & Other Equipment -MORPC
City of Dublin Update –City of Dublin
Lunch & Networking
Round Table Discussion
Bike Ride –City of Dublin Ambassadors
Adjourn
RSVP to Amanda McEldowney by
Friday, July 6, 2012
amcel...@morpc.org or 614.233
Jerry Tinianow to Leave MORPC for Denver
It is with great regret and congratulations that we announce the resignation of Jerry Tinianow, Director of the Center for Energy and the Environment effective July 20, 2012. Jerry has accepted an offer to become the first chief sustainability officer of the city and county of Denver, Colorado under the direction of Mayor Michael Hancock. Mayor Hancock conducted a national search for this position and it is a testament to the reputation of our agency that the successful candidate came from MORPC.
Jerry started as Director of the Center in 2009. During his tenure he has achieved a number of notable accomplishments, to name just a few:
• Produced the nation's first regional food system assessment and plan.
• Completing balanced growth plans in five adjoining watersheds covering an area of over 1,000 square miles.
• Attracted new funding for the Residential Energy Efficiency Program to replace expiring ARRA funding.
• MORPC’s leadership role in EcoSummit 2012
Since learning of Jerry’s decision we have worked actively with him to put a transition plan in place to transfer all of his functions and responsibilities, including leadership of MORPC’s part of the EcoSummit effort. Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown’s office has graciously accepted to undertake MORPC’s leadership role in EcoSummit 2012. Commissioner Brown is the Host Committee Chair and her role in EcoSummit creates a composed and seamless transition.
Please join me in congratulating Jerry on achieving this tremendous opportunity.
Bob Lawler
America Bikes on new Transportation Bill
On Friday, Congress will vote on a new transportation bill that reverses years of progress on biking and walking policy and cuts by 60 to 70 percent funding for local safety projects such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes.
For the past 20 years, a modest portion of federal transportation investments — less than 2 percent of all transportation funding — has been dedicated to biking and walking projects that make streets more accessible for everybody, reduce preventable traffic fatalities, help boost local economic development, and create construction jobs. But, despite an outpouring of support from mayors, county executives, and the American public, the deal negotiated by a small number of Congress members behind closed doors eliminates much of this popular funding.
“This new transportation bill is bad news for biking and walking,” said Caron Whitaker, campaign director of America Bikes. “Across the country, people are biking and walking more, and vehicle miles traveled are decreasing. Young people are delaying getting their driver’s licenses and the real estate market shows that people want to live and work in areas where they can walk and bike safely. Yet this new bill ignores current trends and includes drastic and disproportionate cuts to biking and walking.”
“These drastic cuts to biking and walking funding do not save the federal government any money,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “Rather, it keeps current levels of funding and directs funds away from street safety projects. Moreover, it’s ironic that Congress is calling this a jobs bill. Biking and walking infrastructure projects create 46 percent more jobs per federal dollar than traditional road projects, yet this bill attempts to reduce the number of such projects across the country.”
“With these devastating cuts, children’s lives are in danger,” said Deb Hubsmith, director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. “The annual cost to hospitalize children for injuries due to bicycle and pedestrian collisions is more than the entire amount of Transportation Alternatives funding in the new transportation bill, and Safe Routes to School will only get a fraction of those dollars.”
“Bicycling has developed broad and increasing support from local governments, health care leaders, small business, and, most importantly, the American people,” said Tim Blumenthal, president of Bikes Belong. “The effort to make bicycling safer and easier for all Americans—a push that includes cost-effective investments in infrastructure--will continue to grow.”
Official Statement on the New Bill
The America Bikes coalition — representing the nation’s leading bicycling and walking groups — and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership oppose the new transportation bill, which would nationally cut funding for biking and walking projects by 60 to 70 percent. We are deeply concerned that bicycling and walking programs suffer large and disproportionate cuts in funding in the new bill. Programs that save lives and dollars are eliminated. The full extent of cuts to biking and walking funding will be determined at the state level and may be even deeper. We will continue to work in states and local communities to support safe, accessible streets.
The new transportation bill is a bad bill for biking and walking. This bill:
Cuts available biking and walking funds by 60 to 70 percent. Biking and walking programs are combined into a single program, Transportation Alternatives, with drastically reduced funding.
Eliminates dedicated Safe Routes to School funding. The bill eliminates dedicated funding for the massively popular and cost-effective Safe Routes to School program, which helps make walking and biking to school safer for millions of American schoolchildren.
Weakens local control. The new transportation bill allows states to opt-out of half of the funds potentially available for small-scale biking and walking projects. Whereas the bi-partisan Senate bill allowed local governments and planning entities to compete for 1% of transportation funds, the new bill allows states to opt-out of the local grant program completely.
Makes biking and walking compete with new, expensive eligibilities. Eligibilities such as road uses and environmental mitigation have been added to Transportation Alternatives, making it harder for local communities to compete for funding for local biking and walking projects. This two-year bill represents a major step backwards in transportation policy for transportation choices and healthy physical activity. Despite this temporary setback in national policy, bicycling and walking will continue to grow and gain support, and Americans will continue to demand safer, more accessible streets and communities. Going forward, biking and walking will return to a central place in America’s transportation policies and programs.
And this is from the League of American Bicyclists
Thank you for all your work in support of federal bike funding over the past few years. It has been just over 1,000 days since the last full transportation bill expired and, with each attempt at a new bill, and with each extension, we’ve called on you to contact Congress. Each time, you and thousands of other cyclists responded. Together, we have staved off many threats to dedicated bike funding. Last night, the conference committee unveiled the new transportation bill. Unfortunately, it falls well short of our hopes. But thanks to your willingness to take action, the programs that fund local biking and walking projects have not been completely eliminated. We fully expect this bill to pass the House and Senate by the end of the week, as part of a larger package that neither party is willing to vote against. You can read our full statement on our blog. http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2012/06/a-bad-bill-for-bicycling/
The reduction in federal support for bike programs will slow our progress towards a bicycle friendly America, but we’ll continue to press ahead. We’ll continue to help local activists find new funding sources, to bolster the evidence for bicycle infrastructure, and to build our political base so that we are ready for the next fight, in 2014, when this new bill expires. Thank you again for all your support over the past 1,000 days, and for your continued support in the years to come. We remain so very proud that you are on our side.
Sincerely,
Walter Finch, Vice President, Advocacy, and the rest of the League of American Bicyclists staff and board
And from the Safe Routes to School National Partnership on Transportation Funding
Dear Safe Routes to School supporter,
Sometime tomorrow or Saturday, Congress will pass a new two-year transportation bill, MAP-21. Along with many of you, we have been working hard for nearly three years to advocate for Safe Routes to School with Members of Congress.
Unfortunately, this transportation agreement contains significant cuts for Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking. The Safe Routes to School program is folded into a new program, called Transportation Alternatives, and no longer will have dedicated funding. Funding for the Transportation Alternatives program has been drastically reduced over the FY2011 levels for the existing federal bicycling and walking programs, including Safe Routes to School, and new eligibilities have been added.
Additional details are available in:
- Our joint statement with the America Bikes coalition http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SafeRoutestoSchoolNa/39ea12f292/cfab0a69f9/37728e1cee
- Our new blog on the impact specific to Safe Routes to School http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SafeRoutestoSchoolNa/39ea12f292/cfab0a69f9/013efc4526
Even though this is a dark day, we have survived some serious attacks. The House wanted to completely eliminate Safe Routes to School. We remain eligible for funding and our projects are likely to be very competitive in the new Transportation Alternatives program given our focus on the safety and the health of children.
Over the past seven years, it has been wonderful to see Safe Routes to School grow from an idea to a full-fledged movement helping more than 12,000 schools and millions of children. The new transportation bill is a significant setback, but I know that the power of our advocates will allow Safe Routes to School to continue to flourish.
As soon as the dust settles, we will be turning our attention to helping public officials and advocates understand how to compete for Safe Routes to School funding in the new environment, and on encouraging state departments of transportation to make full use of their available funds. In addition, our SAFETEA-LU Safe Routes to School funds are also still available, so we need to continue advocating for those funds to be awarded and obligated in all states. We must keep fighting for our vision, and remember that demand for Safe Routes to School will continue.
In closing, please accept my sincerest thanks for all your efforts. Each time we have asked for your help in contacting Congress, you have responded in force. As this is only a two-year transportation bill, the opportunity will quickly come around again to restore bicycle/pedestrian/Safe Routes to School funding. So keep on making those routes to school safer for children and send us your success stories! Thank you.
Sincerely,
Deb Hubsmith, Director
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Congress raises a middle finger to young bicyclists
By Ozzie Zehner
She’s off to school, with helmet on head and doll in tow. (Photo by carfreedays.) A small federal program is punching holes through the unsafe barricade of freeways, busy roads, and rushed drivers that surround the nation’s schools. Yet despite the program’s success, Congress is now threatening to terminate it — not to save money, but to redirect its funds toward more car-centric infrastructure. In 2005, Congress initiated a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) national partnership. The SRTS program coordinates infrastructure improvements across the country to make walking and biking to school safer and more practical for students and educators. By most measures, the program has been a resounding success. Testifying to Congress about a pilot project, director Deb Hubsmith stated, “In only two years, we documented a 64 percent increase in the number of children walking, a 114 percent increase in the number of students biking, a 91 percent increase in the number of students carpooling, and a 39 percent decrease in the number of children arriving by private car carrying only one student…” http://grist.org/biking/congress-raises-a-middle-finger-to-young-bicyclists/
Jun. 29, 2012 5:18 AM ET
Congress poised to act on highways, student loans
By JOAN LOWY, Associated Press 
WASHINGTON (AP) — After being derided as a "do-nothing" Congress, the House and Senate were poised to vote on a massive legislative package that overhauls highway and transit programs, salvages an estimated 3 million jobs and spares millions of students from higher interest rates on college loans. Congressional leaders were pushing for quick action Friday on the package, which also would financially shore up the federal flood insurance program. Two deadlines are looming: Federal highway and transit aid programs and the government's authority to levy federal fuel taxes expire on Saturday, and interest rates on new student loans are set to double on Sunday. Lawmakers also were anxious to begin a weeklong recess. The burst of legislating comes just four months before the November elections, giving lawmakers achievements to show off to voters who have increasingly held Congress in low esteem. "It's a jobs bill," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who led Senate negotiations on the transportation portion of the package. She estimated the bill would save about 1.8 million jobs by keeping aid for highway and transit construction flowing to states and create another 1 million jobs by using federal loan guarantees to leverage private sector investment in infrastructure projects. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., didn't wait for final passage of the measure to claim credit for a share of those jobs. A statement issued Thursday by his office touted the $400 million in transportation aid Montana would receive and the 13,500 highway jobs in his state the money would support. "I worked hard to make sure Montana had a seat at the table and I'm proud that we were able to get the job done for Montana families," Baucus said. In the bargaining that led up to an agreement on the package earlier this week, House Republicans gave up their demands that the bill require approval of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline; and Democrats gave ground on environmental protections and biking, pedestrian and safety programs… http://hosted2.ap.org/OHCOL/8ef5320729ce4298abefc1903704c7d5/Article_2012-06-29-Highways-Student%20Loans/id-be894445aa0b4c57983cfa7b50ea6b4b
RIDES
Prairie Oaks
DAY TIME EVENT DESCRIPTION OPENINGS
Jul 14 Sat 8:00 pm Dog Walk and Swim Walk two miles and let your dog cool off...
BikeColumbus Festival 2012 July 13-14
Calling All Volunteers!
Consider Biking is thrilled to be part of the 4th Annual BikeColumbus Festival along with the Institute of Active Living at Columbus Public Health and Columbus Outdoor Pursuits! The festival will begin on Friday, July 13 with the Mayor's Twilight Ride and After Party followed by the Steve Barbour Memorial Tour on Saturday, July 14. We're down at Genoa Park next to COSI (333 West Broad Street) on the downtown river front.
We need people like you to help us pull it off!! How about volunteering?
If you would like to be part of the fun and volunteer, please visit:
http://www.bikecolumbusfestival.com/volunteer/
and fill out the online form to volunteer!
Every effort will be made to accommodate your volunteer request! Of course, you earn the requisite volunteer t-shirt. And if you volunteer Friday night, you get to ride the Saturday Barbour ride for free.
Volunteer needs for Friday, July 13, 2012
- Event set-up, 4-6 PM
- Registration, 5:30- 7PM
- Greeters, 5:30-7PM
- Traffic Directors, 5:30-7PM
- Clean Up, 7-8PM
- Corner Marshalls, 6-8PM
Volunteer needs for Saturday, July 14, 2012
- Event set-up, 6-10 AM
- Registration, 6-10AM
TWO GREAT RIDES
The Mayor's Twilight Ride will begin at 7:00 p.m. at COSI (located at 333 W. Broad Street). The event website is at: http://www.bikecolumbusfestival.com/ ($25 early bird registration).
Steve Barbour Memorial Tour on Saturday July 14, at 7 AM, distances of 31, 62, 93 or 124 miles. Tours launch and return to COSI. Enjoy spectacular route into Hocking County, a great ride plus food. Lunch/Snack/Rest stops along the way. Cost is $40 or $50 for the Combination of the Barbour Tour and Twilight Ride.
NEW FOR 2012
Free Family Pre-Ride Party at COSI from 4:00-5:30pm with bicycle rodeo, games, activities and prizes!
All riders return to WaterFire Columbus for free entrance, entertainment and a magnificent array of bonfires on the riverfront.
Riders may also join the Food Truck Festival at Columbus Commons on the way back to COSI.
SAFETY
Bike Trail Vandalism A Problem, Sheriff Says
By: Andy Long | NBC4
Published: July 02, 2012
ATHENS COUNTY, Ohio --
According to Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly, the Sheriff’s office has seen an increase in vehicle vandalism in bike path parking areas.
Kelly said that the suspects are driving by the areas several times each day and when a vehicle is found unoccupied, they strike quickly with no witnesses or physical evidence.
The Lemaster Road/Hamley Run bike path parking area is a high criminal target area, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office has the following recommendations to those parking in the area:
- This area is highly traveled and used by the criminal element
- Please leave your purses/wallets at home or keep them on your person
- Please do not leave high dollar items in your vehicle making it easy access for the criminal
- Consider leaving your doors unlocked so the windows will not be smashed. If you have nothing in the vehicle to be taken, this should not be a problem. Worst case scenario, your vehicle will be rummaged through.
HEALTH – Nothing this issue
LOCAL NEWS
Urban living gains popularity, data show
Columbus’ growth now keeping pace with suburbs’
By Pamela Engel
The Columbus Dispatch Friday June 29, 2012 5:45 AM
Younger people are increasingly shunning the suburbs in favor of urban living, according to some development experts. U.S. census data released yesterday show that population growth in Columbus now is keeping pace with growth in the suburbs. The population estimate for Columbus was 780,288 for 2011, a 1.1 percent increase from the previous year. Growth in most suburbs hovered around 1 percent as well. “We definitely see continued interest in new residential development in the city’s core area,” said Kevin Wheeler, Columbus’ assistant planning administrator… Wheeler attributes the shift to young people who want everything at their fingertips. “You definitely have changing perspectives among younger residents ... in terms of the kind of things they want to have access to — entertainment, restaurants,” he said. “They want to be able to walk or bike…”http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/06/29/urban-living-gaining-in-popularity.html Ira: Yep, Congress is definitely in step with the desires of young Americans.
Urban renewal
Statistics and experience show that city living is regaining its appeal
Thursday July 5, 2012 5:24 AM
U.S. Census data and the growing challenge of finding an apartment in Columbus confirm: The urban-living renaissance is real. With only 4.5 percent of Columbus apartments vacant, finding a suitable unit isn’t a sure thing anywhere, but for those looking in the Short North, German Village, Downtown, Grandview Heights and other urban neighborhoods, it’s becoming a real challenge: one pair of friends and roommates spent seven weeks combing through online ads, cruising open houses and attending 20 apartment tours before they secured a place in German Village. That’s wonderful news for the construction industry — more than 5,000 apartment units are in the works — and for those who want to see lively, livable urban neighborhoods. For decades, injecting some residential life into Downtown was an oft-stated, never-attained goal. Lo and behold, though, more and more people, especially young singles, have come to demand the benefits that only city life can bestow: restaurants, entertainment, parks and workplaces within walking distance; a lively atmosphere; and plenty of other young professionals as neighbors. Census data show that cities are seeing population growth as great or greater than that of suburbs — a marked reversal from recent decades. In Columbus, the Downtown population grew by 38 percent between 2000 and 2010, and the current apartment boom suggests the growth is continuing. No one suggests that, nearly a century after the automobile and the highway sent middle-class Americans heading toward open spaces in droves, the suburbs are losing their attraction. Most likely the majority of Americans who are able to buy homes in suburban neighborhoods will choose to do so. The difference now, at least in central Ohio, is that people have a choice; those who fancy stylish urban living have a place to go other than “some other city.” And for those who prefer the traditional suburban-living route, all those Downtown residents help support a much richer array of restaurants, entertainment and culture to enjoy when they feel like coming to town. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2012/07/05/urban-renewal.html
Open house for Martin Road path set
Thursday July 5, 2012 11:04 AM
Residents will have an opportunity to learn about plans for a bike path on Martin Road during an open house slated for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 12, at the Dublin branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, 75 N. High St. Dublin plans to construct a bike path in the existing right of way on the north side of Martin Road between August and October. Construction plans for the bike path will be available to view and city engineers will also be on hand to answer questions. After completed, the Martin Road bike path will be another piece of Dublin’s 90-plus miles of paths. http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/dublin/news/2012/07/02/web-pathmeeting.html
Council's OK would clear way for wider roads
By ALAN FROMAN
ThisWeek Community News Tuesday July 3, 2012 11:26 AM
Grandview Heights City Council's economic development committee voted June 27 to recommend council approve an ordinance to include projects planned for Third Avenue near the CSX railroad bridge as among the public improvements defined in the Grandview Yard development agreement. Council was scheduled to hold a third reading and likely vote on the legislation at its meeting Monday, July 2. When the development agreement was enacted in 2009, the intention was for Nationwide Realty Investors, the Yard's developer, to seek a tax-increment financing program from the city of Columbus to help pay for public infrastructure improvements. A TIF agreement with Columbus is in place and has been authorized by Columbus City Council but has not yet been signed, economic development committee Chairwoman Susan Jagers said. The ordinance Grandview City Council is considering would, subject to the execution of the Columbus TIF agreement, authorize the Third Avenue improvements as projects accepted under the development agreement. Although the area of the improvements are in Columbus, they will benefit the Yard project. The authorized improvements include widening Third Avenue to four lanes from Edgehill Road to the railroad bridge; widening the road to five lanes from the railroad bridge to Olentangy River Road; and replacing the railroad bridge on Third… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/grandview/news/2012/07/02/councils-ok-would-clear-way-for-wider-roads.html
Knox County Trail Updates
Here are the latest updates concerning our special trail system:
Kokosing Gap Trail: As many as 6,000 bicyclists will ride the portion of the Kokosing Gap Trail from Laymon Road to Duff Street on Saturday, August 11th. Approximately 1,000 riders will ride the Gap Trail from Duff Street to Danville on Sunday morning, August 12th. The cyclists are riding to raise money for cancer research as part of Pelotonia.
Heart of Ohio Trail: Recently, members of the Center Pointe Church of Centerburg added to existing split rail fences at the North Clayton street trail intersection on the Heart of Ohio Trail in Centerburg. Each year, members of the church take one Sunday to work on local community projects instead of attending church services. Thanks, Center Pointe Church of Centerburg! The Busy Babes Marathon will take place on July 14th, starting in Memorial Park. All three races will start at the same point, but the half-marathon runners will start one hour early, at 7:00 a.m. (5k and 10k participants start at 8:00 a.m.). 100% of proceeds will go to support New Directions Domestic Abuse Shelter of Knox County.
Mohican Valley Trail: The annual 5K Turkey Trot was a big success at the Danville end of the trail, with more participants than in years past!
Overton resigns from Lancaster parks post
Jul. 4, 2012
Written by
Carl Burnett Jr.
The Eagle-Gazette Staff
LANCASTER -- The man who has led Lancaster City Parks & Recreation through two levy campaigns, revitalized neighborhood parks and renovated the Olivedale Senior Center is stepping down to take a similar position in Montana. Mitch Overton has resigned, effective July 18. He had been parks superintendent for more than five years. "It's one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make," Overton said. "My wife and I have family here and have really loved it, but this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up." Overton is going to become director of the Bozeman Recreation and Parks in Bozeman, Mont. Bill Cann, an owner of West Side Coal and vice president of the Lancaster City Parks & Recreation Board, said Overton was really going to be missed. "We've been very lucky to have the likes of Don Bainter and Dave Bogear as our park directors in the past, and Mitch certainly falls into their category," Cann said. "He brought a youthfulness and level of energy to the parks that we hadn't seen before. It was often hard for the parks board to just stay up with all the different projects and proposals he was coming up with to improve our parks… http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20120704/NEWS01/207040306/Overton-resigns-from-Lancaster-parks-post?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage
Short takes
Tuesday July 3, 2012 5:54 AM
BICYCLISTS WHO relish central Ohio’s ever-growing opportunities to explore the region on two wheels soon will have one more to celebrate: By August, the city of Westerville plans to open the area’s first bike “hub” — an open-air brick shelter that will provide riders on the nearby Ohio to Erie Trail with a place to rest, picnic, get a drink and use a restroom. Thanks to a frost-free water fountain, a fireplace and infrared heat, those hearty souls for whom biking is a four-season activity will find comfort even in the winter. The $192,000 project, which broke ground in May, is being funded about half by the city of Westerville; the rest is coming from donations from individuals and civic groups including the Westerville Parks Association, Westerville Foundation and Sertoma. Donors and city officials likely know that, beyond providing a popular service, the bicycle hub at Hanby Park will serve to draw people to the city’s Uptown area and its shops and restaurants. Uptown already is among the more successful of central Ohio’s suburban Main Streets; creating an attractive destination for cyclists could bring in a whole new crowd to enjoy it. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2012/07/03/short-takes.html
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
Safe Routes to School Education Forum
The next Safe Routes to School Education Forum will be held on Tuesday, July 24 from 10am-11:30am in the Scioto Conference Room at MORPC. Attached you will find the Agenda and Temporary Parking Pass. Please RSVP for the meeting by Friday, July 20, 2012 and if you have any questions please let me know.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
10:00am-11:30am
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Scioto Conference Room
111 Liberty Street, Suite 100
Agenda
I. Welcome and Introduction—Amanda McEldowney, MORPC
II. Franklin County Physical Activity Plan Next Steps—Jamie Turner, City of Columbus Public Health Department
III. District-wide SRTS Initiatives; An Overview of Cincinnati—
David Shipps, TranSystems
IV. Safe-T-Zone Project—Chris Albanese, Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives Office of Ohio Governor John R. Kasich
V. Gearing Up For Back to School Walking & Biking Events—
Amanda McEldowney, MORPC
VI. Closing Remarks
The next Safe Routes to School Education Forum will be held on Tuesday, July 24 from 10am-11:30am in the Scioto Conference Room at MORPC. Attached you will find the Agenda and Temporary Parking Pass. Please RSVP for the meeting by Friday, July 20, 2012 and if you have any questions please let me know.
I look forward to seeing you at the meeting!
Thanks!
Amanda
Amanda McEldowney
Program and Event Coordinator
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
111 Liberty Street Suite 100
Columbus, OH 43215
Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinar - July 30th (1pm ET)
SRTS Middle School Curriculum: Why it is Important and How to Make an Impact
Presenters:
John Egberts, Assistant Director, Florida Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education Program
Meg Thomas, Michigan Fitness Foundation, SRTS Director
Eileen Hyatt, Board Member of the Bicycle Alliance of Washington, Safe Routes to School Bike and Pedestrian Safety Education Program Instructor
When most people think of SRTS programs, elementary school students come to mind. In this webinar, we will discuss why it is so important to reach out to middle school students, why it is often so challenging to get through to them, and three examples of programs designed to make an impact on these preteens.
John Egberts, the Assistant Director of the Florida Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education Program, provides some introductory remarks on why it is so important to continue educating students through middle school on pedestrian and bicycle safety. He will also provide some insight as to why it is so hard to reach this age group with ordinary lessons. John will present Florida's approach to a middle school curriculum focused on advanced topics such as pre-drivers' education, bike maintenance, health and nutrition, mapping and community connections.
Next, Meg Thomas from the Michigan Fitness Foundation will discuss their Make Trax Program which is geared toward middle school aged children and making the SRTS program "cool." This wonderful program has 8 different lessons to hook the pre-teens' interest including mapping technology, fieldwork lessons, how to gather data and photography.
Finally, Eileen Hyatt, board member of the Bicycle Alliance of Washington and trainer of teachers, will present the Washington's Safe Routes to School Bike and Pedestrian Safety Education Program. Four organizations worked to develop the Washington State program: The Bicycle Alliance of Washington, Feet First, the Washington Department of Transportation, and the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction. The middle school curriculum contains 8 lessons on bicycle and pedestrian skills. So far, 141 physical education teachers at 27 school districts in 18 counties in Washington State have received the two day training and equipment to implement the middle school curriculum. This first round of trained middle school teachers will reach an estimated 15,000 students each year.
This webinar is part of the SRTS Webinar Series, developed by America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School.
Safe Routes to School National Partnership on Transportation Funding
Dear Safe Routes to School supporter,
Sometime tomorrow or Saturday, Congress will pass a new two-year transportation bill, MAP-21. Along with many of you, we have been working hard for nearly three years to advocate for Safe Routes to School with Members of Congress.
Unfortunately, this transportation agreement contains significant cuts for Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking. The Safe Routes to School program is folded into a new program, called Transportation Alternatives, and no longer will have dedicated funding. Funding for the Transportation Alternatives program has been drastically reduced over the FY2011 levels for the existing federal bicycling and walking programs, including Safe Routes to School, and new eligibilities have been added.
Additional details are available in:
- Our joint statement with the America Bikes coalition http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SafeRoutestoSchoolNa/39ea12f292/cfab0a69f9/37728e1cee
- Our new blog on the impact specific to Safe Routes to School http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SafeRoutestoSchoolNa/39ea12f292/cfab0a69f9/013efc4526
Even though this is a dark day, we have survived some serious attacks. The House wanted to completely eliminate Safe Routes to School. We remain eligible for funding and our projects are likely to be very competitive in the new Transportation Alternatives program given our focus on the safety and the health of children.
Over the past seven years, it has been wonderful to see Safe Routes to School grow from an idea to a full-fledged movement helping more than 12,000 schools and millions of children. The new transportation bill is a significant setback, but I know that the power of our advocates will allow Safe Routes to School to continue to flourish.
As soon as the dust settles, we will be turning our attention to helping public officials and advocates understand how to compete for Safe Routes to School funding in the new environment, and on encouraging state departments of transportation to make full use of their available funds. In addition, our SAFETEA-LU Safe Routes to School funds are also still available, so we need to continue advocating for those funds to be awarded and obligated in all states. We must keep fighting for our vision, and remember that demand for Safe Routes to School will continue.
In closing, please accept my sincerest thanks for all your efforts. Each time we have asked for your help in contacting Congress, you have responded in force. As this is only a two-year transportation bill, the opportunity will quickly come around again to restore bicycle/pedestrian/Safe Routes to School funding. So keep on making those routes to school safer for children and send us your success stories! Thank you.
Sincerely,
Deb Hubsmith, Director
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Congress raises a middle finger to young bicyclists
By Ozzie Zehner
She’s off to school, with helmet on head and doll in tow. (Photo by carfreedays.) A small federal program is punching holes through the unsafe barricade of freeways, busy roads, and rushed drivers that surround the nation’s schools. Yet despite the program’s success, Congress is now threatening to terminate it — not to save money, but to redirect its funds toward more car-centric infrastructure. In 2005, Congress initiated a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) national partnership. The SRTS program coordinates infrastructure improvements across the country to make walking and biking to school safer and more practical for students and educators. By most measures, the program has been a resounding success. Testifying to Congress about a pilot project, director Deb Hubsmith stated, “In only two years, we documented a 64 percent increase in the number of children walking, a 114 percent increase in the number of students biking, a 91 percent increase in the number of students carpooling, and a 39 percent decrease in the number of children arriving by private car carrying only one student…” http://grist.org/biking/congress-raises-a-middle-finger-to-young-bicyclists/
Park trail safety is greatly enhanced by good manners
Published: Monday, July 02, 2012, 12:55 PM Updated: Monday, July 02, 2012, 5:48 PM
By Zachary Lewis, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The closest I've come to a fight wasn't in a bar or on the street, but on a serene stretch of trail in the Cleveland Metroparks. With a woman. My offense? Occupying the full width of the path while walking with my wife, son and another couple with children. I kid you not: This woman, a cyclist, unloaded on us, using every manner of foul language to insult us and doing her very her best to incite a smack-down. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed. Now, clearly, this was an extreme and isolated incident. But out of it, from all the flared tempers and the act that provoked them, there are several important lessons to be gleaned about how to behave on trails. And how not to… http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/07/safety_on_park_trails_is_great.html
Past issues are available here: http://www.considerbiking.org/category/newsletters/
Contact Information
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Biking and Walking Newsletter Editor, Ira S. Weiss - iwe...@insight.rr.com
Consider Biking Staff, http://www.considerbiking.org/contact/ 614-447-8894
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Ira S. Weiss
11735 Eddington
Pickerington, OH 43147