According to this October 2012 article, from Safe Routes to School in California, a new law (AB 1915) will help improve infrastructure and programs to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety in underserved areas of California. The state policy introduced by Sen. Luis Alejo (D- California) allocates up to 10% of Safe Routes to School program funds towards infrastructure improvements, for school bus stops outside the vicinity of school. The bill serves as an act to amend Section 2333.5 of the Streets and Highways Code, for the state of California relating to transportation, and allows for more flexibility in how funds are spent. The article also cites the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health finding, that children in rural areas had a greater chance (42%) of being overweight or ...
Schools belonging to the Northside Independent School District (NISD) in San Antonio, Texas, will use funds received through Safe Routes to School Programs to improve sidewalks and infrastructure near Glass elementary and Pat Neff middle school. This, February 2011, NISD slideshow presentation describes the difference between the infrastructure and non-infrastructure Safe Routes to School grants. It also provides an overview of the planned projects and a timeline for when they are expected to be completed. According to this letter, authored by District 7 Council member Cris Medina, through the city's general obligation funds and a matching Safe Routes to School Grant, the $1.2 million project is expected to be completed by the winter of 2012. This brochure describes where ...
According to this article, children in Taylor, Texas near Austin, have safer access to schools since the city was awarded $574,000 in Safe Routes to School infrastructure funds from the Texas Department of Transportation in 2008. The city strategically partnered with Taylor Independent School District to apply for funds to construct a sidewalk that would connect four schools: two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Once construction of the sidewalks are complete, the city anticipates that more children will be walking to school. While some components are funded by the state, federal funding is also available for these programs. Communities and school districts across Texas, have developed Safe Routes to School plans. Funding for Safe Routes programs exists for ...
State legislators can promote physical activity by developing policies to encourage school districts to keep their facilities open to the community, during non-school hours. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)--a bi-partisan organization that provides legislators with research and technical information about the most pressing state issues--convened to discuss the use of such policies, known as shared use agreements, to address the issue of childhood obesity. According to the NCSL, in 2011 four states--Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee--enacted legislation to encourage shared use agreements in their states. In 2012, the states of California, New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania left similar legislation pending. Learn more from the NCSL about the 2011 shared ...
In March of 2012, after two years of public debates and overcoming various challenges, the East Harlem Community Board finally approved plans to build protected bike lanes and pedestrian refuge islands. Melissa Mark-Viverito, New York City Council member for district 8, joined with city officials and members of the community to create a campaign to inform the public of the benefits protected bike lanes could bring to East Harlem. According to Mark-Viverito, residents from the predominantly Puerto Rican community of East Harlem suffer from disproportionately high rates of diabetes and other chronic diseases. Mark-Viverito speaks of that lack of bike lanes as a social justice issue. Protected bike lanes enhance safety by creating physical separation between moving traffic and bike lanes. ...
In 2012, the Better Block Team and City of San Antonio residents took some time to see what West Commerce, a four-lane street, would look like if improvements were made to encourage walking and biking. The Better Block event allowed citizens to imagine what their community would look like with temporary bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. City officials looked to the reaction of constituents to decide how funds from the 2012 bond program would be spent. Read More About San Antonio's Better Block Experiment Recap of Final San Antonio Better Block for 2012-Case Study: Transportation and Retail Study Testing West Commerce Temporary Transformation into a Better Block (San Antonio Express ...
In 2010, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico adopted a policy (S. 1857) for Complete Streets or "Calles Completas." The bill lists reasons for why a Complete Streets policy should be adopted, citing lack of physical activity, and high levels of obesity, among other reasons duly related to needed improvements to transportation infrastructure. AARP a national organization that helps improve the quality of life for individuals age 50 and older, worked in Puerto Rico to train locals to conduct sidewalk assessments. This blog, "Rescate el acceso a sus calles y aceras," written in Spanish lists ways that the community can be a part of implementing the Complete Streets policy. Individuals interested in the implementation of Complete Streets in Puerto Rico can contact AARP by email, phone, mail, ...
In 2008, the State of California adopted a Complete Streets policy (AB 1358) to ensure that local governments would develop roads in a manner suitable to bicyclists, children, motorists, pedestrians, seniors, and public transportation. In response, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), the Congestion Management Agency for Santa Clara County, created a memorandum which provides good examples of ways local communities can comply with the California Complete Streets Act. In order to comply with the new law the VTA recommends of of the following: A general plan circulation element that complies with AB 1358; or
A Complete Streets Policy Resolution The VTA was charged with ensuring that communities are in compliance with the Complete Streets Act, by January ...
In August of 2011, the state of New York adopted a Complete Streets policy. This policy states that all county, local, and state transportation projects will consider the access and mobility needs of all users, of all ages, by using complete street designs. Resources
The text for New York's Complete Streets policy (New York's Complete Streets Policy- S05411). A slideshow presentation, created by TVGA Consultants, which provides information on the need for complete streets in New York. View charts, stats, and photos related to New York's Complete Streets policy. This American Public Health Association's (APHA) factsheet describes what Complete Streets are and provides examples of Complete Street ...
