[Cal Walks] September 2015 Newsletter

Cal Walks footPRINTS

September 2015

News from Around the Network

Linking New Transportation Investments with the State's Climate, Equity, & Heallth Goals

Last month, we reported on the Governor's special session convened to raise between $3-6 billion to meet the state's transportation funding needs. Over these past few weeks, California Walks and our partners have beeen hard at work to help shift the conversation from simply repaving roads and fixing potholes to ensuring that the $6 billion of potential new state transportation investments further our state's state's climate change, social equity, public health, and complete streets goals.

California Walks and the Coalition for Active Transportation Leadership are championing two transformative bills that will make complete streets a reality so that every Californian can walk, bike, or take transit if they so choose. Here's what these bills would do:

Implement a Complete Streets policy for new state funding (SBX 1-1): Senator Jim Beall will include a sensible complete streets provisions in SBX1-1 that will make most cost-effective use of road maintenance funding to meet our state's many ambitious goals--from state of good repair to climate, public health, and social equity goals. SBX1-1 would require all SHOPP and STIP projects to provide safe, protected facilities for people walking and bicycling in transit-dense areas on most roads with a speed limit over 25 miles per hour. Additionally, the bill would require Caltrans and local agencies to report on their projects' climate, active transportation, public health, and social equity impacts, and future funding could be withheld in the future for agencies that fail to further our state climate, health, equity, active transportation, and maintenance goals.
Increase dedicated funding for biking and walking projects (ABX 1-23): Assemblymembers Eduardo Garcia, Autumn Burke, and David Chiu have co-authored ABX1-23, which doubles the size of the Active Transportation Program (ATP) with a $125 million increase. ABX 1-23 also includes a new ATP category to fund complete networks of walking and biking facilities that would connect every destination in communities throughout the state with an unbroken web of sidewalks, safe crossings, bike paths, protected bike lanes, and quiet bicycle boulevards. A minimum of 1/3 of funding available for these network grants shall be reserved for Safe Routes to School projects and of that, a minimum of 10 percent and a maximum of 30 percent shall be used to fund noninfrastructure programs.

What You Can Do

Contact Your State Senator & Assemblymember Now to let them know that you support implementing strong "complete streets" policies to ensure that state funding is spent to build sidewalks, safe crossings, and protected bike lanes; increase the Active Transportation Program; and enable communities to build out entire walking and biking networks. Send an e-mail here
Send In an Organizational Letter of Support: We've made it easy for you to send in a letter of support from your organization! Modify these template letters for SBX1-1 (here) and ABX1-23 (here) and send in to show your organization's support.
Spread the Word! Share the action link (http://fundingaction-calbike.nationbuilder.com/) by posting to Facebook & Twitter using #CompleteStreets

Step It Up! The Surgeon General's Call to Action on Walking & Walkable Communities

Only half of American adults get enough physical activity to reduce the risk of chronic disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. Walking is an easy way to start & maintain a physically active lifestyle.

Today, the Surgeon General has released Step it Up! The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities, which provides recommendations to increase walking & walkable communities all over America.

Please join the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a live webcast for the launch of this important Call To Action that will offer strategies for increasing walking and walkable communities for people of all ages and abilities on September 9, 2015, 7 AM Pacific. Join the Live Webcast Here

Cal Walks & Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Debut Vision Zero Toolkit

California Walks and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) teamed up to develop a new resource for communities working to eliminate traffic fatalities to zero, which debuted at the 2015 Silicon Valley Bike Summit.

The Vision Zero Toolkit [PDF] outlines key steps that city staff and policymakers can take to adopt and implement a Vision Zero policy and plan, in an effort to improve traffic safety in their communities. The toolkit focuses on protecting the most vulnerable users, including people walking, people with disabilities, people riding bicycles, and those using other mobility devices. In short, Vision Zero policies recognize that every traffic collision is preventable, whether through engineering, education, or enforcement.

The Vision Zero Toolkit is free and the PDF is available both here and on SVBC's website.