News From NOACA

What makes a community and region healthy and sustainable? Find out at NOACA's Summit, to be held Friday, June 10, 2011, at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. The Summit's keynote speaker will be Michael F. Roizen, M.D., Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic.

The Summit will feature a morning panel discussion covering today's planning issues, including equitable housing, land use, transportation and economic development. Participants on the panel include:

Hunter Morrison, director of the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium;

Jason Segedy, vice chairman of the Consortium and director of the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study, the metropolitan planning organization that serves Summit and Portage counties and a portion of Wayne County; and

Edward W. (Ned) Hill, the Dean of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University.

Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jerry Wray will present ODOT's project priorities and continuing efforts to offer safer, more multimodal, and greener transportation choices.

The Summit will begin around 9:30 a.m., following NOACA's Governing Board meeting.

For more information about the Summit, contact NOACA Senior Communications Specialist Gayle Godek.

Resource Guide Can Help You Navigate NOACA's Website

If you seek information about NOACA's

Resource Guide cover planning responsibilities, members, staff, policies and services, check out the new Board Member Resource Guide. This guide offers summaries of NOACA plans, programs and documents, with links to web pages if you need additional details on a specific topic. Use your smart phone, computer or GPS device to navigate NOACA!

Governing Board Approves Updated Public Interaction Policy

At its April meeting, the NOACA Governing Board approved the latest
update of the agency's Public Interaction Policy. The policy outlines h PIP cover ow:

NOACA engages and informs the public about transportation planning and programs;
The public can get involved in the planning process; and
The public can access NOACA information and services.

Green Your Commute - Bike to Work!

With warmer weather ahead and gas prices hitting the $4.00 mark, you can help yourself and benefit the region's air quality by leaving your car at home and riding your bike to work. NOACA encourages bicycle commuters to support National Bicycle to Work Week, designated by the League of American Bicyclists for May 16 - 20, and especially Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 20. Stop by NOACA's office and get a free bike map. If you are looking for a riding partner, check out NOACA's BikeBuddies program. If you commute to downtown Cleveland, you can also participate in Cleveland Bike to Work Day activities.

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) is a regional organization of local officials responsible for carrying out transportation and environmental planning under the local direction and in accordance with state and federal mandates. The NOACA area encompasses the Cleveland/Lorain-Elyria metropolitan region, which includes Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina counties.

Howard R. Maier
Executive Director

NOACA