Regional Network Project

We are pleased to share that Kaiser Permanente has provided ongoing support to the Safe Routes to School National Partnership in 2012 and 2013 through grants totaling $1,070,017. The funding will support expansion of the regional network project, which is poised to make major impacts in the coming two years.

The regional network project launched in 2010 with support from Kaiser Permanente in the areas of Southern California (Southern California Association of Governments--SCAG), the Greater Washington DC Area (Metropolitan Washington Council of Government--MWCOG) and in the Atlanta Region (Atlanta Regional Commission--ARC). We are excited to be able to deepen our work in these regions with full time staff, and to bring our efforts to the San Francisco Bay Area (Metropolitan Transportation Commission). In Southern California, we now have two full time staff working on the Kaiser Permanente project.

Right now, the regional transportation plans in the Bay Area and Southern California are being revised, and the National Partnership’s policy managers are working to make active transportation and Safe Routes to School more significant elements in these plans. In the Washington, DC metropolitan region, the policy manager will be working in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC, capitalizing on efforts to promote Safe Routes to School and active transportation, in general, throughout the region.

Specific goals of the regional network project include:

Working to leverage additional resources for walking and bicycling initiatives through the regional and local policies and plans such as Regional Transportation Plans;

• Getting transportation infrastructure built that will improve physical activity among students;
• Ensuring that federal Safe Routes to School funds are spent on quality projects;
• Advocating to remove barriers for walking and bicycling by children through various policy initiatives, including Complete Streets; and
• Sharing information and best practices nationwide about strategies to for increasing funding and policies to promote bicycling and walking through regional advocacy strategies.

The ultimate result will be to increase physical activity and improve safety among students through policy, systems and environmental changes.

The regional networks were formed in order to foster a greater relationship with the regional government bodies and to influence the funding streams that are developed in the updates to their Regional Transportation Plans (RTP). The RTP is a long-range plan (25 years). Within the RTP is the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). The TIP is a shorter-term plan, typically covering three years at a time. Through policy initiatives, the regional networks are working to ensure that the federal dollars that flow through the RTP are spent on projects that improve walking and bicycling, especially Safe Routes to School.

Regional network policy initiatives can have a major effect on regional spending. For instance, in the San Francisco Bay Area, advocacy work on the RTP resulted in $17 million in new money over three years being committed for Safe Routes to School, $8 million per year committed to a Regional Bicycle Program, and the establishment of a complete streets policy, which will improve street design for walking and bicycling throughout this large region through the construction of every transportation project.

Atlanta Regional Network

In January 2011, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) became the contractor for the Atlanta network. NACDD has hired an organizer for both the state and regional networks. Work at the regional level will continue in 2012, with efforts focused on opportunities involved in the process of adopting. Plan 2040, the Atlanta Regional Commission’s regional transportation plan (RTP). To learn more about the efforts in Atlanta or to become involved directly, contact:

Doug Joiner, Atlanta Regional Network Manager
National Association of Chronic Disease Directors 
atlantaregion@saferoutespartnership.org
(678) 522-8777

Greater Washington, DC Area Regional Network

The Greater Washington DC Area network formed in January 2010, and has achieved policy successes by convincing the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) to recognize and support Safe Routes to School in the region and to work to add Safe Routes to School projects as separate line items in the MWCOG’s Transportation Improvement Program. In Fall 2010, the MWCOG revised the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for the National Capital Region to include the goals and best practices for walking and bicycling programs—including Safe Routes to School; performance indicators and relevant baseline conditions; and a list of major bicycle and pedestrian projects drawn from local, state and agency plans, which the region would like to carry out by the year 2040. To learn more about the efforts in the Greater Washington, DC area or to become involved directly, contact:

Christine Godward Green, Washington, DC Regional Policy Manager
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
christine@saferoutespartnership.org
(202) 596-1328

San Francisco Bay Area Regional Network

The Healthy Transportation Network – Bay Area is a new network as of January 2012 and will be co-hosted with TransForm. The primary goal is to ensure that transportation policy in this region will be infused with a concern for the health and well-being for all the Bay Area communities. The MTC’s regional transportation plan is a major focus of the network’s efforts in early 2012. To learn more or become involved directly, contact:

Marty Martinez, Bay Area Policy Manager
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
marty@saferoutespartnership.org
(415) 637-6488

Southern California Regional Network

The Southern California network launched in January 2010. Since then the regional project has conducted outreach to policy stakeholders through key meetings, conferences and events and has grown into a coalition of more than 250 partners. The Southern California network developed a policy platform and an action plan to carry out its platform goals, with a specific focus on SCAG’s RTP. The regional network has worked diligently to carry the elements of the platform to SCAG decision-makers as well as leaders in various counties and cities comprising this region. The regional network worked with the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and the City of Los Angeles throughout 2010 to encourage a Safe Routes to School citywide strategic plan. As a result of these conversations, the concept is included in the City’s new bicycle plan. To learn more or become involved directly, contact:

Jessica Meaney, California Advocacy Organizer
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
jessica@saferoutespartnership.org
(213) 221-7179

We encourage residents and organizations in Bay Area, Southern California, Atlanta and the Washington DC area to get involved with the regional project. Each regional project has a regional organizer who conducts monthly meetings that enable participants to learn more about the regional project and to participate in policy development activities.