State Network Update
October 2011
Missouri partners develop exciting web-based tools
We always like to share the great work our state network project partners are doing; here are two useful tools the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation have developed: one analyzes the equitable distribution of state Safe Routes to School program grant awards, the other calculates walking and bicycling transportation savings and costs.
Is your state department of transportation distributing Safe Routes to School funding equitably? Many of us struggle with whether the Safe Routes to School grant funding is equitably distributed to underserved communities and how to even find out this information. The National Center for Education Statistics website provides a list of all the schools and school districts from the state to local level, demographic statistics and the number of children who qualify for free and reduced lunches – a common measure of the amount of lower income children at schools. Armed with this information and which schools received Safe Routes to School grants from your state DOT, some calculations and mapping will answer your equity questions. This is powerful information to bring to your state Safe Routes to School coordinator to begin discussions about how to ensure that funds are equitably distributed. To learn more about this tool, go to http://mobikefed.org/UnderservedCommunities
Calculating Savings and Benefits from Walking and Bicycling to School
People frequently want to know how much money they will save by having their child bicycle or walk to school. By entering some basic information, such as distance and the number of people walking or bicycling, the calculator will tell you how far you traveled, how much money you saved and the benefits and savings to both you and your community. This includes savings in fuel, maintenance, CO2 emissions and health benefits. To learn more about this tool or give it a try, go to http://mobikefed.org/SavingsCalculator
The advocates from Missouri have also created a version you can modify and easily put on your own website. Check it out at http://mobikefed.org/sites/default/files/savings-calculator.zip
Help us get the word out about these useful tools by promoting them on your web and Facebook pages and to your state network partners. Thanks to our Missouri state network partners at the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation for developing such great resources!
For more information on the network project, please visit www.saferoutespartnership.org/state/network.
August 2011
Peer learning network
Peer-to-peer learning has been an important element in the 2010-2011 Safe Routes to School state network project’s (network project) goals of changing policies and leveraging funding in nineteen states and the District of Columbia. Through monthly meetings with the 20 network organizers, weekly policy discussion cafés, and shared documents and webinars, the network organizers have benefited from each other’s experiences and advice, even though they are based in offices throughout the US. The monthly group meetings are focused on sharing strategies, discussions on policy topics that are of importance to the network project, federal transportation funding updates and more. Some specific areas in which we have seen the benefits of this cross-pollination of ideas that turn into real policy change include: efforts to improve the award and obligation rates of federal Safe Routes to School funds, protecting the neighborhood or community-centered school, Complete Streets that are safe and convenient for all modes including bicyclists and pedestrians, strengthening bicycle and pedestrian education requirements in states, and many other policy change initiatives.
During the weekly policy discussion cafes, we tend to narrow the focus a bit more. While café topics cover a broad range of subjects, they provide a great means to explore policies from various vantage points. During a policy café, a national expert or network organizer will provide a brief update on a particular topic, which in 2011 has ranged from joint use agreements that allow schools and parks to share facilities, to how to collaborate with or educate staff from state agencies, to a discussion on the latest research data concerning Safe Routes to School.
Another area that is advancing our peer-to-peer learning network is in the technological arena. We have recently converted to cloud computing, which allows for social media type interactions, better document sharing, database and calendar management and much more. With easier ability to “chat” and share documents we have seen the effects of learning from one another greatly enhanced.
June 2011
A new network manager and success in Hawaii and Mississippi
Network Manager Transition
On May 26, Rory Neuner marked her final day with us as state network manager to take a position coordinating the Transportation for Michigan Coalition. Her new role will allow her to be an active and involved member of the Michigan state network, giving us an opportunity to continue working with her in the future. In the meantime, Dave Janis has stepped in to take over the state network manager position. Based in Seattle, Dave worked as the policy director for the Bicycle Alliance of Washington for many years and has served on the Safe Routes to School National Partnership Steering Committee. He worked closely with advocates and legislators, which resulted in the passage of important legislation, and developed the Bicycle Alliance’s Safe Routes to School program while co-creating and co-managing the Center for Safe Routes to School in Washington State. Good luck Rory and welcome Dave!
Hawaii
Our Hawaii Safe Routes to School state network, with written support from Hawaii’s entire Congressional Delegation and the Hawaii Council of Mayors, met with the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) during a meeting on May 12 to address Hawaii’s last place among all 50 states for awarding federal Safe Routes to School funds. At the meeting, HDOT announced that this summer they will award contracts for nine infrastructure projects to improve street-scale safety, hire a full-time state Safe Routes to School coordinator, and they will release a call for applications this year for the remaining $5.6 million in Safe Routes to School funding.
Mississippi
The Mississippi Transportation Commission unanimously passed a resolution that will require the state Department of Transportation to create a policy to "consider the development of multi-purpose trails and/or wide-paved shoulders during the planning phases of all new highways AND the reconstruction of existing highways in or near communities with areas of high demand for recreational facilities." Our Mississippi Safe Routes to School state network applauds this new resolution as a first step towards creating a more integrated bicycling and walking network and more livable communities around the state, which will help to create safer passages for children walking and bicycling to school.
For more information about the Safe Routes to School State Network Project, visit http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/network.
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