For Immediate Release: November 29, 2017
'Tis the Season for Safety
By Kim Smith, Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Education Coordinator
The holidays are upon us which means students are out of school, out-of-state travelers are on the roads and the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping has officially begun. Holiday activities produce increased holiday traffic and a need for citizens to stay alert as we travel to parties, stores, and family gatherings. Here are a few holiday travel safety reminders.

Drivers
• Obey the speed limit, especially in residential neighborhoods

• Expect the unexpected, children cannot judge speed accurately and may dart in front of vehicle

• Be mindful, children have a narrower field of vision than adults and may not see you even if you see them

• Don’t drink and drive

Bicyclists
• Always ride in the same direction as cars and obey the rules of the road

• Ride towards the right side of the road

• If riding on a sidewalk, remember to check for cars pulling in or out of driveways

• Always wear a helmet

Parking Lot Tips
• Don’t assume a driver sees you

• Always use a crosswalk when available

• Stay alert and watch for moving vehicles in the roadway and for ones backing out of spaces

• Don’t walk directly behind parked vehicles and look carefully when walking between parked vehicles

By following the above safety tips, you will help play a vital role in ensuring that others have a safe and happy holiday season.
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week: December 4-8, 2017
Social Media Feature : The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) will recognize December 4 - 8, 2017, as Driver Safety Awareness Week to promote the importance of older driver safety and mobility that helps ensure older adults remain active within their communities.

During Older Driver Safety Awareness Week each day will focus on a different aspect of safety and mobility to benefit the aging population. Throughout Older Driver Safety Awareness Week and the year, older adults can register for AARP and AAA Driver Safety Courses , as well as CarFit events , to remain safe drivers.

Stay tuned to our social channels for promotion of this important week!
Multi-use Trails Attract Walkers, Cyclists to Titusville
By Sarah Kraum, Multimodal Program Specialist
In today’s active world, multiuse
trails are being integrated into transportation planning as they encourage local economic development, recreational
opportunities and healthier
lifestyles. The Space Coast
Transportation Planning
Organization is committed to
increasing the network of on and
off-road bicycle and pedestrian
facilities within Brevard County.

Most notably, Brevard’s newly installed
section of the Florida East Central Regional Rail Trail, which stretches
from Canaveral Avenue in Titusville
to the Volusia County line, is a paved 12-foot wide multi-use trail that will connect with 52 miles of rail trail in Volusia County.

This regional trail is also part of the larger Coast to Coast Trail, which stretches from St. Petersburg to Titusville,
the St. Johns River to Sea Loop which will connect five counties, and the
East Coast Greenway that runs the East Coast of the United States. This trail that intersects Titusville serves as an essential connection and will add to the states interconnectivity of safe pedestrian and bicycle features.

Additionally, on a local level, it will serve as a safe corridor for bicyclist and pedestrians traveling to Mims Elementary School.
Why are trails important in our communities?
Regional trails like the Florida East Central Rail Trail offer the opportunity for economic redevelopment and increased tourism. Titusville’s trails have
the potential to draw cyclists, pedestrians, equestrians and other
trail blazers who will spend in the
area via local businesses, restaurants
and lodging. Noting this growth
prospective, the City of Titusville
has already embraced the concept
of redeveloping as a “Trail Town.”

The city continues to invest in developing trails, trail amenities, trails marketing and it has opened a new Welcome Center with bicycle concierge through the Coast to Coast Bike Shop.

Why are trails important to
Brevard families?
Multi-use trails provide families
with the opportunity for recreation, increased mobility, and healthy active recreation options. This new regional trail will provide a safe 12.8 mile multi-use trail and 5.4 miles of equestrian trail for Brevard families to enjoy together.

We are excited to celebrate these converging trails with Titusville locals, tourists, and Brevardians alike, in the near future at an official ribbon cutting and community-ride event. We look forward to showing Central Florida how the Space Coast is blazing trails.
Currently a Project Development & Environmental (PD&E) Study is taking place for the Space Coast Trail alignment. The Space Coast Trail is a proposed multi-use trail in North Brevard that will run from the entrance of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge east to Parking Area 1 in the Canaveral National Seashore and North on Kennedy Parkway from Beach Road (CR 402) to US1 in Volusia. This trail is part of both the Coast to Coast Trail and the St. Johns River to Sea Loop.

A public meeting on the study will be held December 7, 2017 at Titusville City Hall (555 S. Washington Ave., Titusville, FL 32796). Members of the community are invited to stop by anytime between 5-7 p.m. to learn more about the trail and submit comments. Comments may also be submitted via mail by mailing:

Cheri Ehrhardt, Natural Resources Planner
US Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 2683, Titusville, FL 32781-2683

Or you can leave a comment online by clicking here . 
Please submit comments by January 12, 2018.
Community Traffic Safety Team: Members Wanted!
This is a reminder that due to the Thanksgiving holiday, our next CTST meeting is slotted for Tuesday, December 12, 2017, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the Florida Highway Patrol Office conference room located at 3775 W. King St in Cocoa.

The CTST is a locally based group of highway safety advocates that consist of law enforcement personnel, traffic engineers, transportation planners, as well as private industry representatives and concerned citizens, working together toward a common goal of reducing the number and severity of traffic crashes.

These meetings provide a great opportunity to promote your activities and to learn more about other traffic-related on-goings in Brevard County.

If you have any questions, please contact me or our District 5 Community Traffic Safety Team Program Coordinator, Joe Steward, at joe.steward@dot.state.fl.us .
Safe Routes to School Program Now Accepting Applications
The call for applications for Safe Routes to School Applications is opened on September 1, 2017.

Florida is seeking applications to develop, implement, and evaluate eligible Safe Routes to School (SRTS) infrastructure projects. Applications are due by January 31, 2018.
Apply today at www.srtsfl.org .
DEP Seeking Information on Water Resiliency Projects
If you are an owner or operator (or have specific knowledge) of a water, wastewater or stormwater system, please help the DEP by responding to a short survey: Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Resiliency Needs Survey  

Hurricane Irma caused widespread devastation through parts of Florida, seriously impacting much of our water infrastructure in those areas.

To help improve resiliency, the DEP’s Division of Water Restoration Assistance is seeking information on real or potential water projects (hardening, water proofing, elevating structures, etc.) that are needed in your communities. While funding is not yet available specifically for resiliency, the Division is gathering information to enable such projects to be funded expediently if such money becomes available.

For more information on the current funding programs available in the Division of Water Restoration Assistance, please visit the new DEP website.
Calendar Items
Meetings
  • December 7: Space Coast Trail PD&E Study Public Meeting
  • December 11: TAC/CAC Meeting
  • December 12: Community Traffic Safety Team Meeting
  • December 14: CFX Board Meeting
  • December 14: TPO Governing Board Meeting

Outreach Events
  • December 9: Handlebars for the Holidays
  • December 12: Bike Safety Rodeo - Port St. John Boy Scout Troop 497
Space Coast TPO| 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera, FL 32940| 321-690-6890 | Email | Website |