April 2019

Safe Routes to School E-News
Issue #157: April 2019

Safe Routes to School E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes Partnership. We are also on Facebook and Twitter. Join us!

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  1. Early Bird Registration Now Open for the 2019 Safe Routes to School National Conference
  2. Nominate a Local Leader for the Hubsmith Safe Routes Champion Award by April 30
  3. Take the Safe Routes to School Program Census by April 19
  4. Opening Up School Playgrounds for the Community Through Shared Use Agreements in Cuyahoga County, Ohio
  5. Transportation Heats Up in the Senate
  6. Seeking Complete Streets in California
  7. Incorporating Equity in Safe Routes to Parks
  8. Bike Ballot Measures Across the U.S.

1. Early Bird Registration Now Open for the 2019 Safe Routes to School National Conference

Early bird registration for the 2019 Safe Routes to School Conference is now open! Discounted registration rates are available through June 30. Start making your plans now to attend the conference in Tampa, FL, November 12-14, and join hundreds of Safe Routes to School and active transportation professionals to exchange ideas and share knowledge in a culturally vibrant city that is best explored by foot, bike, and public transportation. Register here.

Visit www.saferoutesconference.org to meet the plenary speakers, and stay tuned for program information coming soon.


2. Nominate a Local Leader for the Hubsmith Safe Routes Champion Award by April 30

The 2019 Hubsmith Safe Routes Champion Award will be presented to an individual who has made extraordinary efforts and contributions to advancing equity and inclusion through Safe Routes to School and active transportation. The award will recognize outstanding leadership and vision, impact on advancing Safe Routes to School, and skills in building coalitions and political will to ensure safe, healthy, and equitable outcomes for children and community members.

The award winner will receive a free registration for the 3-day Safe Routes to School National Conference, plus travel and hotel accommodations, and will be recognized at the conference. Click here to learn more about the award and submit a nomination by April 30.


3. Take the Safe Routes to School Program Census by April 19

Calling all Safe Routes to School program staff! Have you filled out our Safe Routes to School Program Census yet? Take 15 minutes to complete the survey and help strengthen Safe Routes to School programs nationwide. Tomorrow’s students will thank you! Click here to take the census.

Note: Only one response per program (not per school) is required.


4. Opening Up School Playgrounds for the Community Through Shared Use Agreements in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

When a school, church, or business opens up its playground and recreational facilities to the public, community members who don’t have access to private gyms or nearby parks gain a valuable opportunity for physical activity.This is made possible through shared use or joint use agreements, which outline responsibilities for maintenance, supervision, security, and costs. That’s where we can help! In Ohio, HIP-Cuyahoga had succeeded in getting private businesses, faith-based and community organizations, and schools to include shared use in their policies and governing documents. They just needed help getting to the next step of implementation. Through a Shared Use 2.0 workshop to provide training to facility managers and a guide to promoting shared use, the Safe Routes Partnership prepared partners to successfully implement shared use agreements and sustain programming.
 
Need help developing your shared use program or taking it to the next level? The Safe Routes Partnership’s consulting services offers shared use expertise to help you increase healthy opportunities for community members.


5. Transportation Heats Up in the Senate

Senators are being asked to submit their transportation priorities, and we are working hard to elevate walking and biking. Read our latest federal policy blog post to learn more about how we think the next transportation bill can transform our communities into safer places for walking and biking.


6. Seeking Complete Streets in California

In California, our team is pushing SB 127, introduced by Sen. Scott Weiner, to require Complete Streets improvements and involvement of local stakeholders along the portions of state highways that are within a half-mile radius of destinations like schools and parks. Hundreds of streets across the state are owned and maintained by Caltrans and the movement of traffic is prioritized over the safety of people walking and biking. We are hopeful an April legislative hearing will built momentum for passage.


7. Incorporating Equity into Safe Routes to Parks

Now available: a refreshed training on incorporating equity into your Safe Routes to Parks efforts. This training explores how organizations can assess and develop their internal readiness and capacity to address equity, concrete steps organizations can take to ensure equity is part of creating safe access to parks, and examples of how communities have worked toward equitable park access. This updated resource also includes a new section on how power dynamics are inherent to an organization and how it functions externally with partners, such as community residents, and can impact equitable access to and control of resources.

To learn more about incorporating equity into Safe Routes to Parks, check out this series of fact sheets that offer ideas and examples of strategies to advance equity in every stage of the Safe Routes to Parks Action Framework.


8. Bike Ballot Measures Across the U.S.

This spring, municipalities across the U.S. will vote on measures that could help build better places for biking, including park systems and mountain bike trails. Residents of Hollywood, Florida, already voted in favor of a bond measure that will support the development of a 23-acre nature reserve with paths for biking. Read about these ballot measures and track their progress using the PeopleForBikes ballot tracker