Networks & Partners

California’s legislative cycle is in full swing, and the Safe Routes Partnership continues to advocate for our priorities in Sacramento. In partnership with our co-sponsors CalWalks, CalBike and the American Heart Association, we have been meeting frequently with legislators and agency staff about SB 127 (Wiener), which will guarantee the implementation of Complete Streets improvements along sections of the State Highway System that fall within a half-mile radius of key community destinations such as schools and parks.

The City of Rialto in San Bernardino County convened their first active transportation technical advisory committee (TAC), called Rialto Walks, Rides & Rolls, earlier this month. The first meeting was facilitated jointly by KTUA Consulting, Alta Planning and the City of Rialto. Stakeholders in the TAC include community based organizations, businesses and local agencies.

The Southern California Association of Governments will be soliciting partnerships with community based organizations (CBOs) to help assist with outreach and feedback for the Regional Transportation Plan & Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) 2020 update. Connect SoCal is the official branding for The RTP/SCS 2020, and outreach will begin this spring. Eligible CBOs will have opportunities to be compensated to do outreach work with SCAG and the consultant team.

The Safe Routes Partnership is convening an Active Transportation Network in Stockton on a monthly basis as part of the Stockton Healthy Neighborhoods Collaborative. Please join us to meet others concerned about active transportation and share and receive information on best practices and policy issues that impact the health of families in the San Joaquin County area. Meetings are on the third Tuesday of every month at 1pm PT.  We’d love to see you there! Get more information by contacting Marty@saferoutespartnership.org.  

Note: Because some Metropolitan Planning Organizations have not yet released their recommendations for the ATP Cycle 4 MPO component, we have extended the deadline to apply for our Cycle 5 assistance in order to accomodate jurisdictions that are still waiting to find out if their projects will be funded.

If you are working to make streets safer or to increase access to schools and parks so that children and families in your community can have more opportunities for physical activity – we can help!

Concept proposal applications are being accepted until February 28 for Cycle 3 of the Natural Resources Agency’s Urban Greening program.

In 2019, we’re gearing up for a round up of active transportation network (ATN) meetings throughout the Southern California region.

Last December, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) voted to endorse a series of policy proposals from the Committee to House the Bay Area, known as CASA. This independent committee, made up of stakeholders including representatives from cities, businesses such as Google and Facebook, and advocates such as Urban Habitat, had been deliberating for 18 months about how to address the housing shortfall in the region. CASA was established after the last regional transportation plan, known as Plan Bay Area, was passed.

Last month, we were pleased to join other walking advocates at PedsCount 2018, hosted by California Walks. California Senior Policy Manager Jonathan Matz and Senior Equity and Policy Manager Demi Espinoza both attended the conference, which highlighted the obstacles to full use of and participation in our streets faced by communities that are marginalized due to race, gender and disability.