April 2018
Three big wins for safety!
The final week of March brought three big wins for transportation safety. 

Children crossing street - slow down sign
The Georgia legislature a pproved a bill that allows local governments to use cameras to ticket drivers who speed in school zones.
 
Cameras will be used only in jurisdictions where local governments pass ordinances that authorize the m. We'll reach out soon to the Georgia Municipal Association and the Association of County Commissioners - as well as to local council members and co mmissioners - to encourage them to do so.
Hand held devices are illegal
The legislature also passed a bill that prohibits use of hand-held devices while driving The distracted driving bill bans more than many people think . So next time you're with friends who are reading an email or text message while  stopped at a traffic signal, let them know it's illegal. Fines for repeat offenders are steep.

The tragic death of a woman who was struck by an
Deadly ABC news -crash with self-driving cars
Photo credit - ABC 15
autonom ous vehicle shined a light on the need for transparency and regulation.  It also confirmed that Uber's technology is not ready for testing on public roads. 

Fortunately, Governor Ducey now recognizes that. The authority to weigh benefits and costs belongs with the public sector, not the companies racing to develop the technology.
Georgia Walks Summit grows the movement
The Georgia Walks Summit we held in Rome last month attracted a great mix of elected Transportation professionals use maps to consider intersection solutions officials, community advocates, and transportation and public health officials. Hands-on workshops, presentations, walking tours, and panel discussions created wonderful opportunities to network and learn. 

Tony Garcia, the keynote speaker, provided a great understanding of how and why to implement short-term projects. Engaging community members, overcoming fear of change, and
testing and refining projects are just a few.  View his presentation, and you'll learn a lot. Pop-up park on Fifth Street

City officials in Rome are eager to spread its downtown across the river, and the Pop-up Park we created was a fun way to help people envision Fifth Avenue as a street that puts people first. 

Summit presentations and photos are available online.

The 2019 Georgia Walks Summit will be in Norcross. More information coming soon.
50+ Walks takes it to the streets!
The 50+ Walk groups we launched are inspiring hundreds of people to walk together and
50_  Walks - SW Atlanta walk
 walk more. People who join are thrilled to be part of a fun community  group. Several churches find the groups a wonderful way to engage their members and combine walking with positive ministry.

For some, what began as once-a-week walk evolved into a lifestyle change. Several people began walking to grocery stores and other destinations. The walks have also been a terrific way to connect people with elected officials, police officers and community leaders.

A big thank you to Kaiser-Permanente for the support that makes 50+ Walks possible.
We're moving!
Our office in Midtown - and the opportunity to share space with TSW, a leading architecture, planning, and community design firm - has been a great match for us during the past eight years. Unfortunately, new property owners plan to gut and redevelop the building later this year.

During the first week of May, we're moving our office to Peachtree Center. We'll post our new address in next month's e-newsletter.

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Make our streets and communities great places to walk!