DRAFT of statement supporting Transportation Bill FROM "COMPLETE STREETS" PERSPECTIVE

[Steven Miller]

ALL:

At Monday's Beacon Hill meeting several of us offered to examine the Transportation Bill when it was released and quickly draft statements from varying perspectives -- expressing general support for its overall direction, specifically mentioning the importance of the revenue aspects, and stressing the regional equity impacts on areas outside Boston.

We discussed the value of having a variety of statements so that we might be able to present a series of complementary testimonies as a coalition, in addition to whatever our individual groups might want to say during the Legislative hearings or urge our members to send via letter to their representatives.

I offered to draft something using the bill's "Complete Streets" provisions as my focal point -- meaning, in my mind, designing streets for greater balance among travel modes (transit, walking, and bicycling in addition to cars and trucks) as well as allowing for streets to be better contributors to positive community interaction, economic vitality, personal health, and environmental sustainability.  Wendy Landman from WalkBoston, David Watson from the Mass Bicycle Coalition, and Adrea Leary from the state coalition of TMA's offered to help.

I decided to write my statement in the form of a letter that could be signed by a wide spectrum of groups.  I didn't intend that this letter would be the primary statement from our coalition, or that other groups might not want to send other letters, or that the statements that other people at the Monday meeting are currently drafting from other perspectives shouldn't also end up as letters to be signed by willing groups including our own.

However, I know my own group, LivableStreets Alliance, will want to sign and we would welcome as many other groups to also add their signatures.  Since it appears likely that getting this Bill through the Legislature will be a slow and difficult struggle, I assume that we will subsequently send additional letters in days/weeks to come -- probably based on the letters that other people are now preparing from other perspectives.

(We will also urge our members and supporters to send their own version of this letter -- and then the other letters -- to their representatives over the weeks or months of Legislative deliberation and negotiations.)

I got lots of helpful feedback about my first couple of versions of this letter, but not everyone who wanted to comment had time or a chance to do so, so the responsibility for what's in this DRAFT is all on my shoulders.

(To be clear about where I'm coming from -- as I read over the proposed bill today, while I could list lots of little quibbles, I was astounded at how good it was and how much of what we want has been included.  It's not perfect, but so much better than what we have -- including its approach to regional equity, environmental and public health impacts, and other issues -- that it is well worthy of our support.)

I emphasize that this is a DRAFT and with absolutely no pride of authorship I submit it to the larger group for discussion.

Steve

Steven E. Miller
Board of Directors, LivableStreets Alliance
Executive Director, Healthy Weight Initiative, HSPH, Dept. of Nutrition
cell:  617-686-1050

[Wendy Landman]

Steve -
Thanks very much - good letter that reflects the mix of local/regional, urban/suburban/rural issues that are important. I suggest one small edit regarding accidents.
Wendy

--
Wendy Landman | WalkBoston
T: 617.367.9255 | F: 617.367.9285 | wlan...@walkboston.org
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[Steven Miller]

thanks....will do...

Steven E. Miller
Executive Director
Healthy Weight Initiative
HSPH, Dept. of Nutrition
email:  smi...@hsph.harvard.edu
cell:  617-686-1050