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News from around the Cal WALKS Network
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| The Future of Active Transportation & Complete Streets in California in Question Following State Budget Adoption |
Much to our coalition's dismay--including California WALKS, California Bicycle Coalition, Rails-Trails-Conservancy, PolicyLink, Safe Routes to School National Partnership, TransForm, and many others--the approved State budget has left uncertain the future of active transportation and Complete Streets in the State. The Governor's Budget had proposed consolidating various funding streams for walking, biking, and Safe Routes to School projects into a single Active Transportation Program (ATP). While we were cautiously optimistic about such a groundbreaking program, Cal WALKS and our allies believe that such a monumental policy shift takes time to find a solution that everyone could support. Despite strong support from the Legislature to take it slow, Governor Brown has pushed the timetable up--requiring stakeholders to come to an agreement on the ATP and for the Legislature to enact some form of the ATP by August 31, while freezing existing walking, biking, and Safe Routes to School funds until such a compromise is met.
With an initial stakeholder meeting set for July 8, Cal WALKS is still concerned about and will be advocating for strong equity provisions, priority for Safe Routes to School projects, pedestrian project eligibility, and the overall funding amount for the Active Transportation Program. Stay tuned for future updates on how you can get involved!
Hot on the heels of the ATP news, our long-standing fight to advance Complete Streets implementation at Caltrans hit a major roadblock--with the Governor choosing to reverse the Legislature's restoration of 5 critical positions at Caltrans dedicated to Complete Streets implementation. Based on testimony at the May 16 Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee--Subcommittee 2, it was clear that the Department of Finance's zero-based budget review of the Complete Streets Implementation Plan was based on incomplete and erroneous information. As Cal WALKS Executive Director, Wendy Alfsen notes, "With not a single one of Caltrans' 33,000 Caltrans employees receiving a single hour of Complete Streets training to-date, implementation of Complete Streets within Caltrans is far from complete. We are truly disappointed with the Governor's decision, which undermines years of hard work to shift the State toward a multi-modal transportation system." Stay tuned for updates on how you can get involved to speak up for Complete Streets! |
 Article 3 funds from the state Transportation Development Act (TDA-3) are a small but important source of funding for local pedestrian bicycle projects. Earlier this year, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) put forth a proposal to revise the guidelines governing the prerequisites for use of these funds. California WALKS and several of our Bay Area Network Affilliates submitted comments to the MTC to expand the existing Advisory Committee requirement to include pedestrians, to maintain the Advisory Committee requirement in order to receive TDA-3 funds, to expand review of TDA-3 project proposals to include pedestrian projects as well as bicycle projects, and to update the list of eligible projects to incorporate many more pedestrian projects and treatments. Though many of our recommendations were included in the revised TDA-3 guidelines proposal, the final guidelines before the full MTC commission left pedestrians out in the cold! Read More Here |
 In collaboration with Walk San Francisco and the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Cal WALKS hosted workshops last month to bring together and empower community residents hungry for change to make their neighborhood streets safer. In April 2013, the San Francisco Mayor's Office released a Pedestrian Strategy charting a roadmap for how the City will reduce serious and fatal pedestrian injuries by 25% by 2016 and by 50% by 2021; reduce serious pedestrian injury inequities among neighborhoods; increase walking and reduce short trips (< 1 mile) taken by car by 25% by 2021; and provide high-quality walking environments.
Arming residents with pedestrian safety best practices for engineering, enforcement, and education strategies and programs, workshop participants worked to identify safety problems and desired fixes among the 44 miles of high-injury corridors and discussed shared strategies to prevent the Strategy from sitting on a shelf--to hold city agencies accountable and to demand funding to ensure its implementation.
Walk SF Executive Director, Elizbeth Stampe commented, "These workshops will help community members make sure San Francisco's new Pedestrian Strategy is actually implemented to make streets safer in neighborhoods throughout the city, particularly the neighborhoods where the streets are most dangerous. Walk SF was pleased to collaborate with California WALKS on this community outreach." Connect with Walk SF to receive updates on the Pedestrian Strategy moving forward.
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United States Department of Justice & Department of Transportation Issue New Guidance on ADA Curb Ramp Requirements for Street Alterations/Resurfacing
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that state and local governments ensure that persons with disabilities have access to the pedestrian routes in the public right of way. An important part of this requirement is the obligation whenever streets, roadways, or highways are altered to provide curb ramps where street level pedestrian walkways cross curbs. This new guidance clarifies what types of resurfacing or other treatments constitute an alteration that triggers the requirement to install/update ADA compliant curb ramps. Read the Full Guidance Memo Here
Creating Safe Walking and Bicycling Communities: Safe Routes to School Decision Maker's Toolkit
The Institute for Local Government has released a new toolkit developed to support local school, city, and county officials and their executive staff who want to promote pedestrian and bicycle safety for students traveling to and from school, as well as expanding active transportation choices for all residents through Safe Routes to School and other programs. Access the Full Toolkit Here
Making the Health Argument to Boost Walkability
Check out the recording and tip sheet from last month's Alliance for Biking & Walking Mutual Aid call covering the latest research and messaging strategies on how walkable neighborhoods improve public health. Access the Recording & Presentation Slides Here
Active Travel Briefings for Local Authorities
These briefings from the United Kingdom bring together all the latest evidence, policy and ideas on active travel and are designed to help local authorities make the case for action to increase walking and cycling. Access the Full Briefings Here |
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[Mutual Aid Call] Bike/Ped Advocacy 101
Wednesday, July 3, 2013 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Hosted by the Alliance for Biking & Walking
Getting started in the world of biking and walking advocacy? Join this call to learn the basic ropes of starting, sustaining, and growing a biking and walking advocacy organization. We'll cover the basics on advocacy, best practices for winning organizations, and more. Register Here
[Webinar] Harnessing the Power of GIS for Safe Routes to School
Thursday, July 11, 2013 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Hosted by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Register Here
6th Annual SFDPH Health Impact Assessment Training
Monday-Thursday, July 15-18, 2013 | San Francisco, CA | Hosted by Human Impact Partners
Each year, the San Francisco Department of Public Health seeks to provide current and future practitioners of health impact assessments (HIA) with experience using available procedures, regulations, and tools to implement an HIA. Register Here
10th Annual Healthy Living Festival
Thursday, July 18, 2013 | Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA | Hosted by United Seniors of Oakland and Alameda County
The Healthy Living Festival (HLF)-originally designed as an "Intergenerational Picnic, Walk and Policy Event"-brings together thousands of participants annually, providing resources, information and fun activities on all aspects of healthy senior active living. Exhibitor and registration information coming soon!
[Webinar] How Highway Safety Funds Can Boost Safe Routes to School: Tapping into the Highway Safety Improvement Program
Thursday, August 1, 2013 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Hosted by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Register Here
[Training] National Open Streets Training
August 9-11, 2013 | Minneapolis, MN | Hosted by the Open Streets Project, Alliance for Biking & Walking, and American College of Sports Medicine
The National Open Streets training will help enterprising advocates, local governments and business groups start their planning processes on the right foot. The training will discuss the key elements of successful Open Streets. The training will be led by experts from the Open Streets Project and will feature facilitation from local organizers and authorities on Open Streets. Participants will learn the best and most innovative tools and techniques that have enabled Open Streets to flourish in nearly 100 cities across North America. Register Now
[Conference] 4th Biennial Safe Routes to School National Conference
August 13-15, 2013 | Sacramento, CA | Hosted by the Local Government Commission | Co-presented by the National Center for Safe Routes to School & the Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Come learn about the latest in Safe Routes to School strategies and join the parents, volunteers, public health practitioners, and active living afficianados that make the Safe Routes to School movement so great! Also consider staying for the planned Advocacy Day on August 15, so that you can communicate the value and impact of Safe Routes to School programs to California decisionmakers. Register Now
[Webinar] Getting Better Data for Better Decisions: Improving Performance Measures and Outcomes
Wednesday, August 21, 2013 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Hosted by the Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals (APBP) | $50 for APBP Members; $85 for non-members
Collecting data is of critical importance, but what we do with data is often the key to making a difference. This webinar will explore the role of data and how to improve performance measures, benchmark progress toward mode share goals, increase safety and provide support for equitable policy for transportation spending. From developing crash exposure rates to improving travel demand models, how are improved ped/bike data sets making a difference in the transportation profession? Register Here
[Conference] Dollars and Sense: Economic, Health and Social Benefits of Walking and Bicycling; 2013 APBP Professional Development Seminar
September 9-12, 2013 | Boulder, CO | Hosted by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP)
Join APBP in Boulder, Colorado for the 2013 Professional Development Seminar (PDS). This three-day conference is packed with state-of-the-practice information for planners, engineers, landscape architects, public health professionals, advocates, elected officials, and others working to advance active transportation and sustainable, livable communities. Registration Is Now Open.
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California WALKS | 1904 Franklin Street, Suite 790 | Oakland, CA 94612 |
Tel. 510.292.4435 | Fax 510.292.4436 | info@californiawalks.org
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