NOACA connection

 News from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency

April 2012 - Vol 2, Issue 4
In This Issue
Attend NOACA's Annual Summit
Weigh in on What Makes Northeast Ohio Alive and Vibrant
Take a Survey to Help NOACA Plan Future Bicycle Improvements
Help Count Bicyclists in NOACA's Five Counties
Check Out NOACA, NEOSCC Displays at the Earth Day Coalition's EarthFest
Comment on Proposed Transportation Improvements
Regional Household Travel Survey Progresses
Review and Comment on NOACA's Overall Work Program
Try Biking for a Greener and Healthier Commute
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Clean Air Zone

 

Fund for Our Economic Future

 

League of American Bicyclists

 

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture

 

OhioRideshare

 

Greater Cleveland Partnership

 

Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium

 

WestShore Corridor Transportation Project Plan

 

Clean Fuels Ohio

 

Bike Cleveland

Attend NOACA's Annual Summit

 

Plans are coming together for NOACA's 13th annual Summit, Moving into a New Era, scheduled for Friday, June 8, 9:30 a.m., at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center. The Summit's keynote speaker will be Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald, who will update attendees on the new and revamped Cuyahoga County government. A morning panel discussion will explore "New Realities in Transportation Funding." In addition, Summit participants will be updated on the progress of the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium's regional plan and NOACA's change in executive leadership. Cost to attend the Summit, which includes lunch, is $40, and $20 for students and senior citizens. You can register online through May 30, 2012.

 

Weigh in on What Makes Northeast Ohio Alive and Vibrant

 

The Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium (NEOSCC) is looking for fresh ideas and input on what makes a vibrant region. On April 17, NEOSCC held a brainstorming session for young leaders in Akron, to network and gather ideas for what might go into the Vibrant Northeast Ohio regional sustainability plan. NEOSCC has announced additional engagement sessions:

These sessions aim to identify local priorities and ideas for building a vibrant community and region. Attend one and lend your voice to this exciting venture!


 

Take a Survey to Help NOACA Plan Future Bicycle Improvements

What types of bicycle improvements and programs would encourage you to use your bicycle for commuting to work or making short shopping trips? What bicycle facilities would help make northeast Ohio more bicycle-friendly? Register your opinions by taking NOACA's online bicycle survey. Input from the survey will help NOACA update the Regional Bicycle Plan. This plan will be used to prioritize bicycle improvements in the region's long-range transportation plan, currently under development.

 

Help Count Bicyclists in NOACA's Five Counties

NOACA seeks volunteers for its spring bike count program. Volunteers will sit outside and count passing bicyclists and pedestrians for two-hour periods on May 15, 16, 17 and 19 at various road and trail intersections in the NOACA region. Volunteers must use their own transportation to get to count locations, but NOACA will reimburse travel costs. NOACA asks volunteers to attend an orientation session and at least one counting session, and sign a liability form. If you are interested, read the details about how you can participate.

Check out NOACA, NEOSCC Displays at Earth Day Coalition's EarthFest

NOACA display at EarthFest 2011.

Celebrate Earth Day this Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. NOACA and the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Ccommunities Consortium are among the 175 exhibitors at this year's annual EarthFest. NOACA will promote clean air strategies, such as vehicle fleet anti-idling and alternative transportation modes, and distribute bicycle maps, bicycle surveys, and information on what you can do to improve air quality. Take the free RTA shuttle bus from Cleveland's Public Square and you'll get free admission to the zoo! 

 

Comment on Proposed Transportation Improvements

NOACA welcomes public review and comment on all of its federally funded programs and projects. For the next month, descriptions of 24 proposed road, bridge and transit projects from Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina Counties will be available on the website for review and comment. At its June 2012 meeting, the NOACA Governing Board will consider adding these projects to the region's transportation plan.

 

Regional Household Travel Survey Progresses 


NOACA's Regional Household Travel Survey, which was launched in January 2012, is chugging along. A total of 983 households in NOACA's five counties have been recruited for the survey, approximately 16 percent of the total goal. To date, 491 households have returned their travel data to survey consultant GeoStats. NOACA anticipates that data collection will continue through March 2013. The
data will help planners understand where and how people travel in the region, and it will be used to forecast future trends and provide a framework for long-range transportation investments.

 

Review and Comment on NOACA's Overall Work Program 

As a reminder, you can review and comment on OWP coverNOACA's draft Fiscal Year 2013 Overall Work Program (OWP) through Thursday, May 10. The OWP summarizes NOACA's annual transportation and environmental activities, studies and programs that will be completed during the next fiscal year running from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. You can leave comments online, by faxing at 216-621-3024, or on the telephone hotline, 216-241-2414, extension 303.

Try Biking for a Greener and Healthier Commute

The month of May has been designated Cleveland Bicycle Month in conjunction with National Bike Month. NOACA encourages you to team up with co-workers and take advantage of opportunities to bike your way to a greener, healthier commute. Bike to work on Friday, May 18, (Cleveland Bike to Work Day),

2011 Bike to Work Day
Bicycle commuters in downtown Cleveland on Bike to Work Day 2011.

and meet other bicycle commuters at The Bike Rack for breakfast and free bike parking. Additional Energizer Stations, with coffee and light snacks, will be set up throughout the city that day.

 

Beginning May 1, you and your friends/co-workers can participate in the Bike Cleveland Bike Challenge. Register online, and log the number of miles travelled by bicycle all summer, through August 31. You will be able to calculate number of calories burned by biking, dollars saved on gas, and emissions prevented from polluting our air. The Bike Challenge is a nationwide, friendly competition to see which state's commuters log the most bicycle miles.

 

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