Posted April 22, 2024 in Weblog

By Ben Crowther

Day-after-day is a superb day for a stroll. However on Earth Day, it’s essential to do not forget that strolling isn’t simply good in your well being, it’s additionally good for the planet.

Transportation stays the biggest supply of greenhouse fuel emissions in america, with journey from automobiles and vehicles accounting for over half the sector’s emissions. How can we cut back that quantity? Walkable locations, for as many individuals as doable, is a necessary a part of the answer.

Strolling is a zero-emissions type of transportation. It pairs nicely with different extra sustainable modes of transportation, like public transit  –  a stroll to the bus cease can get you throughout city. Thousands and thousands of People, in each rural and concrete settings, already depend on strolling to get to jobs, to get to highschool, and to entry essential companies and companies.

We will get hundreds of thousands extra People to decide on strolling as a type of transportation by making it a handy, protected, and enticing possibility. If we do, we are able to cut back transportation gas consumption by round 25%, in response to the scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Local weather Change.

What makes strolling handy, protected, and enticing? Protected routes, with components like ample sidewalks, road bushes for shade, and visitors calming measures, are one half of the equation. The opposite half is having locations close by. Houses, companies, companies, and facilities close to one another makes it simpler to stroll and builds a way of group for residents.

In the event you’re trying to make a dedication on Earth Day, we at America Walks have a pair of actions you may take for a greater, extra walkable planet:

Posted April 18, 2024 in Weblog

Measurement, weight, and lack of visibility are making automobiles extra deadly in crashes with pedestrians – and quite a lot of states and native governments aren’t ready for federal regulation.

That oversize pickups and SUVs are harmful to pedestrians is obvious, however analysis is now nailing down precisely how deadly they’re. A current examine concludes that growing the peak of the entrance of a automotive or truck by 4 inches will increase the likelihood that somebody can be killed in a crash by 22 p.c.

The researcher, Justin Tyndall of the College of Hawaii produced the next grim chart assessing the likelihood of dying by automobile kind.

Top just isn’t the one issue, automobile weight issues as properly. It’s price noting that EVs will typically be heavier attributable to battery weight, so this creates a fair higher want to handle total automobile dimension. And naturally, the driving force of an enormous automobile shifting at excessive pace is much less prone to see pedestrians and be capable of cease rapidly sufficient.

The federal authorities has the authority to control automobile design. Whereas we see wanted security rulemakings underway (pedestrian detection, computerized braking, security rankings primarily based on hazard to pedestrians) these don’t go to the guts of the matter – the scale and pace of automobiles.

So what are state and native governments doing?

It’s an imperfect device, however the District of Columbia  has modified registration charges in an try to discourage oversize automobiles. In MD, Delegate Robbyn Lewis launched a invoice to extend the registration charge for personal automobiles over 3000 lbs – HB28 Pedestrian Fatality Prevention Act of 2024. Senator Omar Fateh has launched comparable laws in Minnesota. If you understand of different comparable laws, tell us, we count on this development to assemble momentum.

Essentially the most daring motion to control automobiles comes from California, the place State Senator Scott Weiner launched laws to require all new automobiles offered in California to come back outfitted with Clever Velocity Help (ISA). We’ve been pushing state and native governments to put in ISA on their fleets, constructing on profitable implementation in New York Metropolis, Ventura County, California, and Somerville, Massachusetts.

ISA was additionally within the information when the Nationwide Transportation Security Board urged USDOT to start requiring ISA on automobiles. The District of Columbia (once more) demonstrated management on safer automobiles by requiring set up of ISA on vehicles pushed by continual speeders.

After we began the Safer Fleets Problem we acknowledged that we is likely to be going towards some sturdy cultural headwinds that rushing was by some means a “proper” held by drivers. In truth, NYC’s implementation permits modest rushing over the restrict in recognition of precise freeway speeds, whereas concurrently wiping out harmful and reckless rushing in automobiles with ISA. And according to predictions, we now have seen the argument that ISA is a harmful impingement on freedom. However taking inventory – seeing the NTSB, California, D.C. and different state governments beginning a critical dialogue on harmful automobiles tells us that an increasing number of Individuals need safer automobiles too.

Assist us achieve momentum on safer automobiles. Urge your native authorities to take the Safer Fleets Problem. Tell us of different native efforts. Collectively, we are able to do that and save lives.

Posted April 17, 2024 in Weblog

A brand new roundup of Walkability Wins. This month we’re showcasing the motion by highlighting extra locations throughout the nation who’re remodeling mobility and advancing pedestrian-friendly agendas.

Cayce, South Carolina

An annual competition in Cayce, South Carolina featured an illustration of a short lived protected bike lane and a two-mile household bike trip with Mayor Partin. The bike lane is a venture by a Strolling School Fellow who focuses on serving to her neighborhood be extra accessible by rising strolling and biking. 

Thanks to Dara Brown for this win!

Blanco, Texas

The Blanco Metropolis Council unanimously authorized an ordinance decreasing the utmost block size, which was over 1300 ft.  The brand new most block lengths are 278 ft or 612 ft relying on the zoning district.  The brand new smaller blocks match the historic a part of city and can present an ideal basis for walkability.

Thanks to Laura Swinson for this win!

Washington D.C.

Residents of Mount Nice neighborhood efficiently campaigned to shut the road in entrance of Bancroft Elementary throughout key college hours to boost security. The residents coordinated with metropolis companies, recruited volunteers and efficiently turned a harmful visitors scenario right into a community-building initiative. This has not solely improved security for the college but in addition reworked the road right into a vibrant, social house for college kids and households. 

Metropolis Heights, California

The Metropolis Heights Neighborhood Growth Company has been awarded $3.3 million by the California Air Assets Board to develop bike and pedestrian infrastructure, enhancing connectivity within the Metropolis Heights neighborhood. This funding goals to attach key areas just like the Cuatro inexpensive housing advanced with native transit plazas, promote sustainable mobility by means of new bike lanes and enhanced lighting, and help neighborhood outreach efforts. This initiative is a part of broader efforts to advertise sustainable transportation and enhance air high quality within the area.

California

California will make investments practically $930 million {dollars} over the following 4 years to boost bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout your complete state. This funding will fund the development of ADA-accessible sidewalks, curb ramps and visitors indicators that’s vastly useful for walkability. Different key initiatives embody the creation of 265-miles of latest and improved bike lanes. 

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To compensate for earlier installments of Walkability Wins, go to our weblog. Have a win? Ship it to us: social@americawalks.org.

By Betsy Johnson

Stroll Bike Springfield was awarded a 2022 America Walks GM Group Change Grant.

Exploring the Magnificence in On a regular basis Walks

In 2014 our native planning company recruited residents from throughout Springfield to develop a Full Streets coverage. By summer season 2015, the Metropolis had didn’t undertake the coverage, so we began WalkBike Springfield. Inside three months, we received the coverage handed! 9 years later, we’re nonetheless assembly month-to-month in an ongoing effort to enhance the security of strolling and bicycling in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Profitable initiatives embrace making a bicycle community map, passage of a 25 mph default velocity restrict, passage of strolling security training for all second graders, aiding the Metropolis to acquire state and federal funds for full streets initiatives, shared streets initiatives, and Protected Streets 4 All intersection and hall enhancements, and the constructing of Springfield’s first bike/skate park.

Springfield, Massachusetts situated on the Connecticut River, with a inhabitants of simply over 150,000, is the third largest metropolis in Massachusetts and business heart of western New England. Its roadways mirror 1960 – 70’s design – 4 lane arterials by means of neighborhoods, constructed to get of us out and in of Springfield somewhat than to make sure the security of metropolis residents. The main focus of our AmericaWalks and Protected Roads Alliance grant was one in all these arterials – a 3.3-mile stretch of Roosevelt Avenue.

Roosevelt Avenue Group Change Grant Undertaking

Roosevelt Avenue is residence to 2 faculties, 4 excessive faculties, two center faculties, one elementary college, seven main employers, quite a few different employers, senior housing and senior heart Springfield’s second largest park with pool & skating rink, two church buildings, nationwide guard amenities, and extra – to not point out the residential areas of 5 neighborhood associations.

We utilized for the grant as a result of we wished to be proactive, somewhat than simply
responding to roadway initiatives being undertaken by the Metropolis and State. By means of a wide range of out-reach actions we gathered prompt enhancements.

First, we developed a survey. This Google survey included illustrations and explanations of attainable pedestrian and bicycle owner security enhancements. The survey was distributed to contacts at faculties, companies, neighborhood associations, and thru the WalkBike Springfield community. We created a presentation that we gave at three neighborhood affiliation conferences. On the conferences we collected surveys and recruited volunteers.

As a part of Bike Month, we performed a “Bike Audit”. Massachusetts had simply enacted new weak customers laws, which requires all autos to provide cyclists, walkers and others utilizing the roadway 4 toes passing distance. To reveal 4 toes, we hooked up pool noodles to the bicycles and street the size of Roosevelt Avenue. We additionally assessed the place a shared used path was possible versus protected and unprotected bike lanes.

We performed three stroll audits. One was with the help of the Springfield Well being Division and the statewide pedestrian advocacy group, WalkMassachusetts. We recorded that the 4 lanes might readily be solely two lanes (street eating regimen) as a result of a narrower part already exists going below an underpass. We noticed college students from the highschool working throughout the street to get to the sidewalk that exists solely on the alternative aspect of the road. We mused {that a} round-about might make a three-way intersection (with a excessive crash historical past) really crossable by pedestrians.

A second stroll audit was held on the different finish of Roosevelt by WalkBike Springfield volunteers on an August Sunday afternoon. This enabled us to extra safely stroll (towards the visitors) as a result of there aren’t any sidewalks for many of this mile part. A key success of the audit was to find out that the pedestrian name button on the busy Web page and Roosevelt intersection was not working (we waited by means of six cycles!) One of many members reported the failure to “311” and the Metropolis has really repaired the sign.

The third stroll audit was with seniors from a senior residence complicated, which is only one/3 mile away from the Metropolis’s new Senior Heart. Further due to AARP for supporting WalkMassachusetts who was capable of help us with this audit. There’s a sign from the complicated throughout Roosevelt to Blunt Park the place the Heart is situated. However, the sign is timed for the scholars on the close by highschool – our seniors have been unable to cross within the allotted time. As soon as throughout the road there aren’t any sidewalks within the Park to the Heart. An general purpose of the challenge is to determine the decrease value enhancements (lengthening the pedestrian section and putting in “pedestrians in roadway” indicators), in addition to the extra moderate-cost objects, corresponding to really putting in sidewalks.

We held a neighborhood discussion board. We despatched invitations and distributed flyers to the neighborhood associations, native companies, and faculties. Springfield Prep Constitution Faculty was our host. The big gymnasium enabled us the structure the 20 sections of enlarged Google map photos of your complete 3.3 stretch of roadway. Due to the Pioneer Valley Planning Fee for creating the map sections. We began the discussion board with a presentation that summarized the findings from the surveys, in addition to an outline of the sorts of enhancements members might counsel. Utilizing sticky pads, of us then added to the map prompt concepts for bettering security of Roosevelt Avenue for all customers.

Sixth, we now have began the compilation of prompt enhancements. As talked about, a primary focus is a list of lower-cost objects corresponding to modifying pedestrian indicators, putting in college zone signage, putting in radar detection velocity indicators, repainting crosswalks, and so on. A second grouping are moderate-cost objects corresponding to putting in sidewalks, putting in crosswalk beacons, putting in raised crossings, and portray bike lanes. The third grouping are enhancements requiring extra engineering corresponding to set up of shared use paths, general street eating regimen, intersection round-abouts, and new signalization, for instance.

Subsequent Steps

The challenge has created momentum. We have already got requests to conduct extra stroll audits. We are going to proceed out-reach to the employers and faculties. We are going to extra previously current our suggestions to Metropolis and State elected officers and workers, and work with them to determine funding alternatives.

Posted April 4, 2024 in Weblog

Seventy years in the past, planners and politicians offered highways as progress, important to future prosperity. Right now, division, disinvestment, and harmful driving are identified to be the true results highways have on the communities round them.

Be a part of journalist Megan Kimble as she shares insights on the freeway combating motion from her new e-book, Metropolis Limits: Infrastructure, Inequality, and the Way forward for America’s Highways. Metropolis Limits explores what’s at stake in locations going through new freeway tasks, like Austin, Houston, and Dallas, and considers one other means ahead: what if we eliminated dividing highways altogether?

Webinar attendees will be taught concerning the following:

• How America’s ever-expanding highways speed up inequality and fracture communities.
• The work of group advocates to create extra livable cities and neighborhoods within the face of freeway expansions. 
• Locations the place eradicating highways has introduced new life to a divided communities.

Watch Our Earlier Webinar:

Like all of our webinars, this will probably be recorded and obtainable after the very fact. However you’ll wish to be part of us in real-time in case you can for the chance to ask questions of our company and live-tweet together with us. You’ll additionally obtain ample assets and extra supplies in case you RSVP.

Be a part of us: Tuesday, Could seventh

2:00pm – 3:00pm, Japanese

By Nora B., Joshua F., and Ruth Rosas

Nora B: Howdy to all! That is Nora reporting for responsibility as a Nationwide Youth Bike Council Member! The Nationwide Youth Bike Council (NYBC), for many who don’t know, is a youth-led nonprofit that makes use of the bicycle to empower younger individuals to be leaders in their very own group. We set up group tasks to assist youth throughout the nation achieve entry to bicycles and to encourage them to maintain utilizing these bicycles. Our greatest mission is the annual Youth Bike Summit which might be taking place in June! 

NYBC works to make sure that the youth voice is concerned within the dialog on transportation. The Council brings the expertise and views of youth bikers, skaters, public transportation riders, walkers, and extra from city and rural settings to the desk. By highlighting such numerous views we hope to make communities safer for all sorts of commuters.

This previous 12 months, the NYBC carried out “Council Chatcasts” on instagram stay, which consisted of getting 15-40 minute conversations with a various vary of younger people who use a bicycle as a means for commuting or recreation. 

Becoming a member of me on this weblog is Ruth from America Walks and immediately we’re writing concerning the significance of youth voices in transportation advocacy. Take it away Ruth!

We Want Extra Youth in Transportation Areas

Ruth R: Hello all, right here at America Walks we consider everybody deserves walkable, equitable, related, and accessible locations of their communities. However all communities have distinctive wants in relation to creating these locations. Due to this fact, dedication to inclusivity and variety are important to know what communities want and guarantee their voices are a part of the answer.  

Our dedication to inclusivity and variety extends past transportation, enhancing walkability or illustration of younger voices in transportation advocacy. America Walks is actively collaborating with youth organizations and dealing to include the voices, views, and modern concepts of younger individuals into our initiatives. We’re notably centered on participating with youth from traditionally marginalized and underserved communities.

Our transportation programs that hinder our communities require systemic adjustments. Traditionally, marginalized and underserved communities usually face disproportionate challenges associated to transportation, together with restricted entry to secure walkways, public transit, and bike lanes, which may hinder their capability to entry schooling, employment, and healthcare. By participating younger individuals from these areas, organizations can higher perceive and advocate for options that instantly deal with these disparities.

The disproportionate impression of visitors fatalities on weak communities, together with these with out everlasting residence, is a stark reminder that probably the most marginalized communities have to be centered in our conversations.

Youth are sometimes excluded from decision-making areas in transportation. Regardless of their direct stake, data, insights and concepts, younger persons are incessantly sidelined in conferences the place insurance policies and packages are being devised. As an example, whereas younger individuals represent a major, and rising, portion of public transport customers, they’re scarcely represented in transit authority boards. This impedes the event of options which can be inclusive and reflective of numerous wants. This systematic exclusion causes points in the best way we strategy coverage improvement, group constructing and we threat perpetuating programs inequities that have an effect on youth immediately and sooner or later.

Council Chatcasts Amplify Youth Voices in Transportation Advocacy

Ruth: Youth are involved about transportation and have already begun re-imagining find out how to enhance our streets, cities and cities. Their imaginative and prescient encourages connectivity and prioritizes communal well-being. By their involvement, younger persons are already laying the groundwork for a greater, extra inclusive transportation system. 

After interviewing youth from throughout the nation by way of the Chatcasts, the Council has compiled some findings on what youth are experiencing in transportation and what youth wish to change in transportation. Right here’s some themes that resonated all through the conversations:

• Youth are community-oriented, they acknowledge the significance of belonging and caring for their group. Additionally they need extra group involvement and engagement and shared-spaces to work together with others.
• Younger individuals throughout the U.S. have a deep understanding that we’ve constructed our communities round transferring in automobiles and the way car-centric tradition impacts their every day lives and future.
• The connection between transit use and biking or strolling is a crucial method to get round as an adolescent and the necessity to broaden these choices is crucial for secure, sustainable, related communities.
• Security is a prime concern for a lot of youth and they’re acutely conscious that security isn’t nearly private habits and duty however the want for extra bicycle, pedestrian and transit infrastructure and funding in enchancment of present infrastructure.
• There’s a huge community of youth advocates, activists, people and organizations on the forefront of advocating for change. They need their voices to be heard.

Nora: One of many essential themes I noticed all through the interviews was one among familiarizing individuals with find out how to bike and the place to bike. An individual’s biking expertise is closely reliant on whether or not they really feel secure and comfy whereas biking. One dangerous expertise will be sufficient to place individuals off biking for a very long time. An necessary a part of that is realizing the place there may be biking infrastructure akin to devoted lanes or pathways and in addition realizing the place there may be lack so that you aren’t caught biking with automobiles going 45 miles an hour. 

Oftentimes apps like google maps simply level you within the quickest route with out taking into truth what the atmosphere and infrastructure is like. Details about secure infrastructure shouldn’t be at all times in accessible locations for youth, youth usually don’t know the place to seek out this data or whether it is obtainable. Youth should be included in conversations inside transportation advocacy in any other case youth might be unnoticed of the loop, as an example the place to seek out secure infrastructure. This data is vital to creating biking extra accessible to extra individuals and never scare them away by way of dangerous experiences. 

• Requires accessibility and security, by way of extra bike lanes, particularly close to colleges, and a safer infrastructure for cyclists in city environments.
• A want for extra inclusive and consultant biking communities, with an emphasis on breaking down stereotypes and making biking extra interesting to a broader viewers. 
• Some people categorical a want to study extra about bike routes and the logistics of commuting by bike, indicating a necessity for extra accessible and lower-grade stage data and schooling on city biking.
• There’s a shared imaginative and prescient of a future the place biking is a mainstay of city transportation, supported by a community of motorbike lanes, group packages, and a tradition that values and understands the advantages of biking.
• Biking is acknowledged as a sustainable and dependable type of transportation, and there’s an effort to familiarize individuals with bike infrastructure by way of organized metropolis bike rides and bikepacking journeys.

Get Concerned

Even in the event you’re not creating maps for bicycles, simplifying data for find out how to take your bicycle on a prepare, or internet hosting learn-to-ride lessons, you’ll be able to nonetheless play a task in supporting the subsequent era of younger leaders who’re advocating for safer streets for younger individuals (which retroactively makes streets safer for adults). This June, the Nationwide Youth Bike Council is internet hosting the Youth Bike Summit, which is a 3-day convention that on a regular basis younger individuals attend and their chaperones. 

Signal as much as assist or sponsor an adolescent’s attendance to the Youth Bike Summit.

Are you aware of a brilliant younger particular person that may communicate to their expertise about commuting? Refer them to the Council Chatcast to get a $25 leisure card for taking part: nybcouncil.com/council-chatcast  

Allow us to come back to your occasions. There isn’t a higher method to embody youth voices than to ask us and our peer youth teams instantly. Attain out to us by way of information@nybcouncil.com.

Posted March 21, 2024 in Weblog

A brand new roundup of Walkability Wins. This week we’re showcasing the motion by highlighting extra locations throughout the nation advancing pedestrian-friendly agendas.

San Francisco, California

When San Francisco’s Public Works proposed to chop down all 78 bushes on twenty fourth Avenue between Mission Avenue and Potrero Avenue in 2019, the group banded collectively and shaped a volunteer group known as Mission Verde. Each week for 3 years, Mission Verde volunteers hand water newly planted bushes alongside the twenty fourth Avenue hall. This has freed up 2/3 of the Metropolis’s devoted tree planting funding for this space and enabled the planting of 3x as many bushes all through this Cultural District. In doing so, they’ve beautified these public rights of means, strengthened the group and introduced extra folks to the Mission District sidewalks.

Due to Mission Verde for this win!

Medford, Massachusetts

Lately the mayor and visitors engineer of Medford stopped a longstanding observe of permitting residents to park their autos on the sidewalk adjoining to an area park and on the “stroll to highschool” route for an area elementary faculty. The visitors engineer designed a plan for alternating assigned avenue parking, which can even function a visitors calming impact and might be painted this spring. Within the meantime, indicators have been posted, residents notified, and the change has been made signaling a bigger cultural change in our metropolis from our prime administration in favor of pedestrian and youngster security over parking preferences. 

Thanks to WalkMedford for this win!

Washington D.C.

A service lane on Connecticut Avenue that used to have 14 parking areas, was closed throughout COVID and have become a pedestrian-only house. Eating places instantly used it as an outside seating house, farmers markets and artwork pop-ups. The District Division of Transportation introduced in 2023 it might proceed the service lane closed to vehicles. They began building to make the curb ramps extra accessible, assembly ADA requirements. Now the transformation is full and this service lane has been become what’s now known as the Cleveland Park promenade.

Due to Yvonne for this win!

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga plans to make use of a federal grant to boost pedestrian security and reconnect communities! The initiative focuses on reuniting the Westside neighborhood by a $2 million planning grant aiming to deal with isolation induced by US-27 and Riverfront Parkway. These main roadways divide neighborhoods and the Westside Evolve’s plan recommends two essential avenue connections in addition to avenue enhancements.This initiative consists of feasibility research, avenue enhancements, and a long-term imaginative and prescient to combine the neighborhood with downtown areas. 

Atlanta, Georgia

The Atlanta Metropolis Council handed laws to take away the minimal parking necessities within the BeltLine Overlay District, aiming to encourage various transportation and improve mobility, sustainability, and making a extra walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly metropolis. The transfer enhances present ordinances designed to cut back pedestrian accidents and fatalities, similar to ordinances that prohibit new drive-thrus, drive-ins, and repair stations. The transfer displays a dedication to lowering pedestrian accidents and deaths, addressing the rising pattern in pedestrian fatalities in Georgia.

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To make amends for earlier installments of Walkability Wins, go to our weblog. Have a win? Ship it to us: social@americawalks.org.

By Ben Crowther

The newest spherical of Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program (RCN) awards introduced final week underscores the necessity for a transformational infrastructure invoice that places communities earlier than highways. There are a number of transformative tasks amongst this yr’s recipients, however the majority are smaller fixes and few deal instantly with the foundation reason behind disconnection: highways and large roads.

This yr, the quantity of funding out there for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program was bolstered by the Neighborhood Entry and Fairness Grants (a program of the Inflation Discount Act), to a complete quantity of $3.3b. 

USDOT made the choice to allocate the entire Neighborhood Entry and Fairness Grants in a single go, so subsequent yr funding is again all the way down to 2022 ranges. This implies the vast majority of federal funding devoted to repairing the harms of earlier transportation planning, significantly these achieved to Black and brown communities and lower-income communities, has now gone out the door.

So in what needs to be a banner yr for reconnecting communities, do the picks handle historic injustices and construct new infrastructure that promotes walkability and multimodal entry for underserved communities?

Transformative: Initiatives that Push the Envelope (~$610m)

On the high of the heap are the tasks that handle the guts of the issue: huge roads and unhealthy transit. 

Daring, transformative tasks like Syracuse’s alternative of I-81 with a Neighborhood Grid or New Rochelle’s conversion of Memorial Freeway right into a linear park are what RCN candidates ought to aspire to. A number of of the planning grant awards, like Reconnecting MacArthur Park, the Nationwide Metropolis/Southeast San Diego Greenspace Hall Mission, and Convey Again sixth, have an analogous focus, with an emphasis on connecting underserved communities to providers, facilities, and inexperienced house. Hopefully these plans translate into future capital development awards. 

Bus speedy transit additionally had a day. 4 bus speedy transit tasks (Los Angeles, Buffalo, Columbus, and Tukwila) introduced dwelling a complete of $353m. Giving buses devoted lanes and improved stops and stations is an effective way to make an inexpensive type of transit extra dependable. 

Lastly, a sidewalk challenge. However not simply any sidewalk challenge. The Metropolis of Houston obtained $43m (!!!) to put money into sidewalks, drainage, and tree cowl in two of the town’s most economically deprived communities, the place sidewalk protection is sparse or non-existent. Think about if all sidewalk tasks have been funded at this degree.

Nuts-and-Bolts: Essential Avenue Fixes (~$1.4b)

Subsequent up, the smaller scale, nuts-and-bolts tasks that make up the vast majority of the awards. These embrace full streets tasks, multimodal enhancements, visitors calming measures, bike/ped paths and trails, the rerouting of heavy vans exterior neighborhoods, and extra open-ended research to determine what to do with divisive infrastructure like roads and rail. These tasks are all much-needed enhancements for his or her respective communities, however in some circumstances work round dividing infrastructure fairly than take care of it instantly.

Freeway Mitigation: Automobile Infrastructure by One other Title? (~$590m)

Most elaborate “pedestrian” infrastructure is admittedly automobile infrastructure, as Joe Cortright at Metropolis Observatory notes. This freeway mitigation class consists of that kind of pedestrian infrastructure: freeway caps ($410m), bike/ped bridges and underpasses ($117m), and parks/districts beneath highways ($62m). The development of all these relies on the street’s continued existence and so they’re normally constructed to maintain driver comfort, not pedestrian enjoyment. 

Of those three subcategories, freeway caps have essentially the most potential to be transformative, in the event that they cowl a good portion of the freeway and are tied to bigger reparative efforts. All three varieties of mitigations could be helpful in restoring connections, however on the finish of the day, communities residing close to these highways are nonetheless topic to the air pollution, harmful driving, and disinvestment that comes with a giant street.

Problematic: Freeway Mitigation within the Context of Growth (~$675m)

Our final class is a small subset of 4 tasks that suggest mitigations for deliberate freeway expansions, or within the case of Denver, a freeway enlargement accomplished in July 2023. Nevertheless, USDOT awarded these 4 tasks an outsized quantity of funding: 20% of the overall quantity out there.

When Secretary Buttigieg launched the Reconnecting Communities program in 2022, he described it as “the first-ever devoted federal initiative to unify neighborhoods residing with the impacts of previous infrastructure selections that divided them.” RCN awards to the I-5 Rose Quarter Enchancment Mission, the 400 East and 900 South Interstate Crossings Mission, Our Future 35, the Reunited Denver Mission Globeville Elyria-Swansea allow present infrastructure choices that broaden and perpetuate the divide highways trigger. 

Mixed, these 4 tasks push a whole bunch out of their properties, companies, daycares, and faculties. The state DOTs concerned have made it clear that enlargement is their first precedence and reconnecting communities an afterthought. They eye RCN grant cash as leverage to unlock freeway enlargement cash. 

By granting awards like these, USDOT rewards the unhealthy habits of state departments of transportation and units an unwelcome precedent: state DOTs don’t want to significantly contemplate mitigations in their very own tasks, as a result of the RCN program will bail them out. 

It’s unlucky to see the restricted funding of the RCN program put to this use, particularly when a lot different cash that would fund freeway mitigations is on the market within the different packages of the IIJA. Luckily, {dollars} from the RCN program can’t be spent instantly on increasing the freeway, so there’s nonetheless the chance for state DOTs to stroll away from the freeway expansions and simply construct the caps, bridges, and underpasses. We strongly urge recipients and their companions to rethink their plans for enlargement and as an alternative put money into actually reconnecting communities.

Ultimate Takeaways

About 38% of the $3.3 billion awarded this yr went to freeway mitigation tasks. Certain, that’s lower than half the out there funding, nevertheless it nonetheless means a good portion of what ought to have been a transformative program has gone towards a business-as-usual strategy. With the vast majority of its cash now out the door, it’s protected to say that the RCN program moved the needle simply barely. To be truthful, USDOT can solely award tasks that have been submitted, so an absence of imaginative and prescient from state DOTs and their companions bears accountability as effectively. The complete system is in want of reform and one small program alone isn’t going to get it there.

The announcement of the RCN grants additionally comes on the heels of an evaluation by Transportation for America that exhibits thus far practically 25% of IIJA funding spent (over $33 billion) has gone towards freeway expansions. This strategy to spending the record-setting funding within the IIJA threatens the nation’s fairness, local weather and budgetary objectives, at a time when transportation is the most important supply of emissions in the US. Numerous freeway expansions funded by the IIJA are being constructed with none remediations in any respect, inflicting new injury at a fee a lot, a lot quicker than the RCN program can restore it.

That is why the Communities Over Highways coalition, led by America Walks and over 200 organizations robust nationwide, is asking for a moratorium on freeway enlargement, to make sure communities have the sources to put money into street upkeep, safer streets, dependable public transportation, and reconnecting communities. Till we overhaul our transportation system to redirect the vast majority of funding into community-oriented infrastructure investments, we are going to maintain failing to satisfy our fairness, local weather, and upkeep objectives.

Posted March 14, 2024 in Weblog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 14, 2024

CONTACT: Ben Crowther: ben@americawalks.org

The newest spherical of Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program awards introduced yesterday underscores the necessity for a transformational infrastructure invoice that places communities earlier than highways. 

“There are a number of transformative initiatives amongst this yr’s recipients, however the majority are smaller fixes and few deal instantly with the basis explanation for disconnection: the freeway,” stated Mike McGinn, Government Director of America Walks. “They nibble across the edges with initiatives like pedestrian bridges and embellished underpasses, however on the finish of the day, communities dwelling close to these highways are nonetheless topic to the air pollution, harmful driving, and disinvestment that comes with a giant street.”

Practically one-third of the $3.3 billion awarded this yr went to finding out or constructing both freeway caps and bicyclist/pedestrian bridges and underpasses. On their very own, these mitigations might be helpful for restoring connections, however a number of are related to deliberate freeway expansions that threaten to trigger extra injury and replicate the harms of Twentieth-century transportation planning to communities of shade and low-income communities. That is along with the numerous freeway expansions funded by the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act (IIJA) which are being constructed with none remediations in any respect. 

“It’s disappointing to see the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program utilized in some instances to actually cowl up freeway expansions,” stated McGinn. “How can we anticipate to restore the injury a freeway has triggered if we proceed to develop it on the identical time? We name on Secretary Buttigieg to reform this system so future grants aren’t bundled into freeway enlargement initiatives. And we strongly urge recipients and their companions to rethink plans for enlargement and as an alternative really spend money on reconnecting communities.”

The announcement of Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grants comes on the heels of an evaluation by Transportation for America that exhibits thus far practically 25% of IIJA funding spent (over $33 billion) has gone towards freeway expansions. This strategy to spending the record-setting funding within the IIJA threatens the nation’s local weather, fairness, and budgetary targets, at a time when transportation is the most important supply of emissions in the US.

America Walks emphasizes that probably the most cost-effective Reconnecting Communities initiatives states might undertake right this moment is to strike outdated freeway plans from the books, to allow them to absolutely spend money on the forms of linked, transit-friendly, walkable and accessible communities that People need. The Communities Over Highways coalition, led by America Walks and over 200 organizations sturdy nationwide, requires a moratorium on freeway enlargement to make sure communities have the assets to spend money on street upkeep, safer streets, dependable public transportation, and reconnecting communities.

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America Walks is a nationwide non-profit devoted to advancing walkable, equitable, linked,  and accessible locations in each group throughout the U.S. We’re the nationwide voice for public areas that enable individuals to soundly stroll and transfer. America Walks co-hosts the Freeway Fighters  Community, a coalition of over 40 communities across the nation working to restore the harms brought on by present and proposed highways. To be taught extra, go to the Reconnecting Communities marketing campaign web page.

Posted March 12, 2024 in Weblog

By Ben Crowther

On this webinar wrap-up, we’ll delve into two of probably the most impactful applications for funding lively transportation — the Secure Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program and the Transportation Alternate options Program (TAP) — together with different noteworthy funding avenues and suggestions for the appliance processes.

The largest takeaway — Secure Streets for All planning grants have substantial cash accessible, and demonstration initiatives depend as planning! Panelists Marisa Jones of the Secure Routes Partnership, Heidi Simon of Good Progress America, and Caron Whitaker of the League of American Bicyclists shared their insights into what your neighborhood must know to navigate funding alternatives.

Secure Streets and Roads for All Program: Bridging Gaps and Fostering Security

The Secure Streets and Roads for All Program stands as one of many premier federal applications for native, tribal, and metropolitan areas searching for to enhance their lively transportation infrastructure and make current streets safer. This system offers $1 billion a 12 months by way of 2026 in planning and implementation grants. It’s administered by the U.S. Division of Transportation, which is presently soliciting functions, with two planning grant deadlines on April 4 and August 29 and a sole implementation grant deadline on Could 16.

This system’s planning grants are used to develop a security motion plan and improve current plans to prioritize security impression and equitable funding in underserved communities.Additionally they assist quick-build demonstration initiatives, which permit communities to rapidly take a look at out future everlasting infrastructure modifications. As implied above, practically each eligible neighborhood that utilized final 12 months for planning grants obtained funding.  

This system’s implementation grants are supposed to construct the infrastructure outlined in security motion plans and related paperwork. To be eligible for these grants, a neighborhood will need to have an eligible security motion plan in place. Candidates can submit their current plans for assessment to find out if they’re eligible (deadline: April 17).

The U.S. Division of Transportation has simplified the appliance in order that it’s a single web page narrative for planning and demonstration initiatives, or three pages for initiatives requesting over $1 million. For extra assets, go to the Secure Streets and Roads for All webpage.

Transportation Alternate options Program (TAP): Constructing Energetic Transportation Initiatives

The Transportation Alternate options Program allocates over $1.5 billion yearly for strolling, bicycling, and protected routes to high school initiatives. It’s accessible to communities of all sizes, together with small rural communities, small cities, midsize cities, and main metropolitan areas. Eligible candidates embrace native governments, tribal governments, transit companies, and non-profit organizations.

Not like many different federal transportation applications, TAP funds are allotted by way of competitions on the state degree, which makes for a smaller pool of candidates. As well as, practically 60% of TAP funding is channeled into separate competitions based mostly on neighborhood dimension, to make sure each place is ready to construct protected strolling and biking infrastructure. Secure Routes Partnership and the League of America Bicyclists have created Transportation Alternate options Reality Sheets for every state, with key contact data and dates for every state’s competitors. 

Need some examples of what’s been constructed with TAP funding? See what’s been doable in Durango, CO, Corvallis, MT, and Chicago, IL. Every state runs their TAP program a bit of in a different way, so take the time to determine what makes an utility in your state aggressive.

Ideas and Tips for Profitable Purposes

For SS4A and TAP functions (and past), there are lots of methods to place your neighborhood for fulfillment. Constructing a powerful, broad coalition of assist is essential. This consists of not solely municipal and institutional stakeholders, but in addition assist from neighborhood members and neighborhood organizations. Initiatives have to additionally exhibit impression and ideally are positioned as half of a bigger effort to enhance entry to lively transportation infrastructure. The strongest functions will handle a number of targets in this system’s standards and could have clear targets with measurable outcomes.

Write for individuals who have by no means been to your neighborhood and do not know what your challenge is.

Throughout this course of, you’re immersed in your challenge, however odds are your reviewers will know little to nothing about it. Clarify clearly and concisely the issues your neighborhood faces and the way the challenge addresses them. Your utility ought to inform reviewers every thing they should know, with out having them seek the advice of exterior sources or depend on their current information. Footage and maps are significantly efficient methods to speak to an viewers that’s most likely unfamiliar along with your space.

Making the case domestically for funding lively transportation

What should you’re a neighborhood chief and never essentially eligible to use straight to those applications? What’s your function? 

Broad neighborhood assist is usually wanted to get buy-in for an utility from companies and elected officers. You as a neighborhood chief can work to carry companies and elected officers on board.  A mix of neighborhood assist plus both company or elected official assist is commonly the prerequisite to motion. Present them how harmful streets straight have an effect on the lives of their constituents, exhibit that there’s broad assist for change, and draw on profitable examples from different locations that handle the difficulty.
Take a look at the complete recording of the webinar: