Comment on the Future of Bay Area Active Transportation by this Thursday, May 16!

The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) are accepting comments on the Draft Plan Bay Area, and the Draft Enviornmental Impact Report (EIR) until this Thursday at 4pm. Nearly three years in the making, Plan Bay Area is an integrated long-range transportation and land-use/housing plan that will support a growing economy, provide more housing and transportation choices, and reduce transportation-related pollution in the San Francisco Bay Area.The effort grew out of the California Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (California Senate Bill 375, Steinberg), which requires each of the state’s 18 metropolitan areas – including the Bay Area –  to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks.

Elements of Plan Bay Area and the EIR are vital for active transportation and equity. Make your voice heard and comment by Thursday’s deadline!

ACCESS Magazine – Transportation Research for Policymakers and Practioners

Guest Post by Donald Shoup, Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA, ACCESS Magazine Editor

Academic research in transportation requires years of work before the author actually publishes the results in a professional journal. Developing a theory, collecting data, and conducting rigorous statistical tests are usually necessary before an article is accepted for publication. Then what happens? If the author is lucky, fellow academics and students will read the article and then maybe discuss it. Most of the time, the transportation planners and elected officials who could use the results to improve our transportation system, may never see the article or even hear about the research.

Paring down a journal article for publication in ACCESS can catapult academic research into the public policy debate and convert knowledge into action.

ACCESS strives to translate research into action and disseminate information to the right people. The goal of ACCESS is to make transportation research conducted at the University of California useful for policymakers and practitioners. After the research has been published in an academic journal, the author can prepare a shorter and more readable version for ACCESS. The articles for ACCESS have the luxury of stressing readability because they have already been through the rigor of the journal process. Through ACCESS, policymakers are able to more easily understand the benefits of bike lanes, feasibility of sidewalks and transit oriented developments (TODs), and safety benefits of providing more lighting in a community. Anyone who wants greater depth or more detail can refer to the original article. ACCESS presents scientific research in plain, intelligent, and even lively prose. Paring down a journal article for publication in ACCESS can catapult academic research into the public policy debate and convert knowledge into action.

Recap of Los Angeles County Active Transportation Coalition Meeting on 3/27/13

Los Angeles County Active Transportation Coalition Meeting March 27, 2013

Last Wednesday over 35-45 people came together at the Wallis Annenberg Science Center to discuss policy needs and goals for the Los Angeles County Active Transportation Coalition.  It was an exciting afternoon with lots of great discussion and feedback.  Multi-modal/complete streets investments and equity were a key and recurring part of the entire afternoon.  Please see our meeting notes here and pictures from the afternoon here.

In order, to fully leverage these co-benefits of walking and bicycling and their connection to riding public transit, Los Angeles County must build out the active transportation network around its expanding rail system and largest public bus system in the state. Active transportation is crucial to the success of implementing projects that support state and regional policies, such as the Sustainable Communities Strategies from state legislation SB 375 and Active Transportation Program from the implementation of MAP-21, forthcoming Cap and Trade revenue, acceleration of Measure R investments (motion at Board this month) and other pending opportunities.

Complete Streets in Los Angeles County

Today, many are soaking up the knowledge and networking with great peers in Complete Streets work in downtown Los Angeles at the UCLA Luskin Center’s Complete Streets Conference. Coincidentally, right down the street from this conference at Metro’s Board meeting today, the board took at step towards exploring Complete Streets as well and approved a motion from the Policy and Programming Committee, see item #18 of board agenda.  The agenda item included an amendment for report back with research and evaluation of current checklists, designs and call for projects on complete streets and multi-modal related criteria. Full list of action items included below.

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and many other partners and supporters have been discussing how the County could elevate their support of active transportation. We are pleased to see Metro leadership and staff respond by adopting #18 of the board agenda today.

Metro is currently reviewing 2013 Call for Project applications from local jurisdictions, and interestingly enough almost half of the Call for Projects applications this year were for walking and biking projects. Cities are voting with their time and energy and walking and biking are their priorities.  And today the Metro board began steps to consider addressing these local priorities and allocate additional money to walking and biking projects in this cycle as well as look at other key ways Metro investments can support all modes in every project.  Today’s motion calls for a staff report back in April.

Los Angeles County Active Transportation Coalition Meeting 3/27

Save the Date for the Los Angeles County Active Transportation Coalition Meeting on Wednesday March 27th at 2pm at Exposition Park in Los Angeles

Join the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Prevention Institute, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Los Angeles Walks and partners and friends from all over Los Angeles County to discuss Transportation Policy and Investments to improve the built environment for our communities.

This event is open and free for all to attend, but RSVP’s are required and space is limited so sign up today!

February 7 PLACE Brown Bag Speaking Series Event featuring Ryan Snyder

The Community Outreach Partnership Centers’ HOPE (Healthy Outcomes through Planning and Engagement) Initiative will be continuing their Practices from Livable, Active Communities and Environments (PLACE) brown bag speaking series during the 2013 spring season. The next event will be held February 7 at the University of California, Irvine. The event will feature a lecture from Ryan Snyder, the president of Ryan Snyder Associates, detailing how revising certain manuals and standards for transportation planning can help recognize the vitality of streets as public spaces in a healthy livable community.

Event Flyer

Details:
February 7, 2013
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBSG) Room 3240
University of California, Irvine
12 PM-1:30 PM

You can RSVP to Victor Becerra at vbecerra@uci.edu

Transportation Planning Grant Program Applications

Caltrans is now accepting applications for the Transportation Planning Grant Program which will award nearly $9 million in funding through six grant programs for Fiscal Year 2013-14. Funding is intended for transportation planning projects which improve mobility and lead to programming/implementation phases for a community.

Applications are due via e-mail by 5 PM, Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Hard copies are not accepted.

To apply or access the application information, follow this link.

Golden Footprints Awards

Golden Footprints
Image courtesy of Irina Souiki on Flickr

WalkSanDiego invites your nominations by Thursday, January 31st for the 2013 Golden Footprints Awards.  The Golden Footprint Award recognizes efforts to promote walkability and enhance the pedestrian environment in San Diego County.  This year, WalkSanDiego will give the Golden Footprint awards in the following categories:

•          Citizen
•          Public Official
•          Non-Profit Organization
•          Urban Project
•          Suburban Project
•          Urban Trails/Connectivity
•          Complete Streets
•          Inspirational Walker

The awards will be presented at WalkSanDiego’s Annual Awards Gala on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at the San Diego Natural History Museum in beautiful Balboa Park.

Caltrans MAP-21 Hearings

Caltrans is hosting a series of hearings on MAP-21 implementation around the state. Advocates are encouraged to attend these and give feedback.

They will be held in the following locations:

January 29, 2013 from 10:00 – 12:00 – Oakland, CA
January 30, 2013 from 10:00 – 12:00 – Los Angeles, CA
January 31, 2013 from 1:00 – 3:00 – Fresno, CA
February  6, 2013 from 1:00 -3:00 – Redding, CA (this meeting will be webcast)

Here is the link for registering for the hearings: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/transprog/map21/map21_events.htm

Location information will be given upon registration.

Discussion Forum: Protecting Safe Routes to School and Increasing Investment Opportunities in Active Transportation in California

Discussion Forum: Protecting Safe Routes to School and Increasing Investment Opportunities in Active Transportation in California

Conference Call: Wednesday, December 19 at 3 PM PT

Wednesday, December 19 at 3-4pm

Conference dial-in number: (559) 726-1200; Participant access code: 116936#

As the state decides how MAP-21 will affect key programs and looks toward more effective ways to meet statewide priorities for safety and greenhouse gas emissions targets, a new proposal has come out to streamline active transportation and Safe Routes to School funding and increase it in the future! The National Partnership has been working with other active transportation, health, and equity partners to meet with Caltrans and the Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency to discuss this proposal, but we also want to hear from you!

We have attached several key documents that outline our recommendations to this message, including:

1. Summary Handout
2. Dec 2012 sign on letter to BTH: Active Transportation Account
3. Nexus for Dedicating California’s Cap and Trade Program Revenue to Active Transportation
4. SRTSNP comments on revision to Statewide Transportation Needs Assessment for Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure
5. Nov 2012 sign on letter to Caltrans: Safe Routes to School – a Statewide Priority
6. Aug 2012 sign on letter to Caltrans: California Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Safe Routes to School – MAP-21 Program Investment Sign on Statement

Please review these and bring your questions to the call – we look forward to hearing your comments on the proposal and how you think it might affect Safe Routes to School. We will also discuss the timeline in the new year for advocating to protect Safe Routes to School and increase investments in active transportation.

Details:

Discussion Forum: Protecting Safe Routes to School and Increasing Investment Opportunities in Active Transportation in California

Wednesday, December 19 at 3-4pm

Conference dial-in number: (559) 726-1200; Participant access code: 116936#

Agenda:

1. Deb Hubsmith (Director, SRTSNP) – recent updates from meetings in Sacramento about the proposed Active Transportation Account and MAP-21, revision to the Statewide Needs Assessment, and next year’s advocacy timeline.
2. Rye Baerg (Southern California Policy Manager, SRTSNP) – Cap and Trade investment in active transportation
3. Questions and discussion.