A lively conversation is underway on how transportation policy affects low income and minority children – and what can be done about it. Completing the streets, with a focus on the most vulnerable road users, has an important role to play in ensuring all children have access to safe streets.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded over $290 million to public transportation projects across the country. Many of the winning projects took a comprehensive approach that will make travel more convenient for not just transit vehicles but also people walking, biking, and waiting for the bus or streetcar.
The latest F as in Fat annual report is out, showing increased obesity rates in 28 states. Of programs and policies proven to help us get healthier, the report authors include the adoption of Complete Streets policies at the community, state, and federal level.
As July unfolds before us, we look back on the progress of the Complete Streets movement since the year began: We’ve seen incredible progress federally, and we celebrated two new state laws. Eighteen communities have committed to complete streets since January, and we released a Best Practices report on policies and implementation.
This week’s Complete Streets activities across the country, including a call to action on New York legislation, news from Michigan, the importance of planning transportation for all ages, and more.
Freshly returned from the Velo-City conference in Copenhagen, Barbara McCann shares how our movement can learn from the Europeans – and it’s not simply importing their engineering. It’s building the consensus that roads serve purposes beyond moving vehicles quickly.
Last Thursday, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay signed complete streets into law. The city will now “consider complete street elements in the design, construction and maintenance of public transportation projects, improvements and facilities.”
This week, we link you to some great videos out of Dubuque and Charlotte; talk a little about road diets; see Hennepin County’s complete streets policy in action; give an update on Michigan’s pending legislation; and more!
It’s hard to think of Michigan without thinking of the automobile, but the growing Michigan Complete Streets Coalition (now at 70+ members!) is working to change that. With two bills set for a Committee vote today and more and more communities adopting their own policies, the Coalition is helping Michigan be a safer, healthier, and stronger place to live.
In Columbus, OH – where complete streets has taken hold in many transportation agencies – President Obama and Secretary LaHood attended the groundbreaking of the 10,000th Recovery Act road project: a complete street.