BITS AND PIECES

A Weekly Update from the Strafford Region

Planning

On Monday, September 25, SRPC staff (Angie Cleveland, Rachel Dewey and Stephen Geis) lead 23 volunteers through the streets of downtown Rochester to conduct an Accessibility Audit. The Accessibility Audit, inspired by the AARP Livability Program, observed and evaluated the accessibility of streets and public buildings in downtown Rochester. This multi-partner project included city staff from five departments, Strafford County Public Health Network, Rochester Main Street Program, Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Rochester Performance and Arts Center, and the Opera House. From 3-5pm, the group inventoried almost 20,000 feet of sidewalks and assessed both City Hall and the Annex for accessibility obstacles. SRPC staff will work with the Strafford County Public Health Network to analyze the data collected and develop a report with recommendations for accessibility improvements to sidewalks, street crossings, transit stops, and public buildings. Thanks to the Rochester municipal staff, residents and partner organizations for promoting the audit and coming out to walk and roll the streets of downtown Rochester. And thanks to the Rochester Performance and Arts Center for hosting us! We look forward to replicating this project for other communities around the region!

Above: Volunteers stroll on North Main Street with their high-viz vests and Ipads.

Below: Planning Technician Stephen Geis instructs the volunteer group before they embark downtown.

Transportation

October marks the return of the Busses, Bikes, and Brooms Challenge! October is Community Transportation Month, and this first week of October is the National Week Without Driving Challenge! Wow!

Senior Planner Colin Lentz has taken this opportunity to share his thoughts commuting within Rochester on bike this week.

For the Week Without a Car challenge, I rode with my 2 ½ year old Oliver from our home in Rochester to his school at the Strafford County YMCA, then to the SRPC office. I rode on multi-use paths and neighborhood streets where possible.

Want to give it a try? Here’s some of my learned factors to consider:

• How grumpy is your toddler in the morning? Are they in a helpful mood or want to “play little bit more”?
• It’s a crisp October morning – how cold will your toddler’s face and fingies be when you get to daycare?
• Hills are a drag in general but are extra fun when hauling 25 pounds of toddler.
• Do you have a meeting right when you get to the office? How sweaty and disheveled can you reasonably look?
• Construction sites are sometimes great because they slow down traffic and are a bonus if your toddler is obsessed with construction equipment.

Want to set up a CommuteSmart challenge for your workplace? Get in touch with staff today!

RFP Live: Safe Streets & Roads for All

The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program was established as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in 2022. SS4A provides $5 billion over 5 years to prevent serious injuries and death from roadway crashes. Grant funding can be obtained for the purpose of developing Safety Action Plans for a municipality or region or for implementing project proposals included in a Safety Action Plan.

Rockingham Planning Commission has been awarded a planning grant from round one of SS4A to develop regional Safety Action Plans for the four New Hampshire MPOs (NRPC, RPC, SNHPC, and SRPC). Safety Action Plans are comprehensive safety plans intended to reduce or eliminate serious injury and fatal roadway crashes through the development of a data-driven and holistic strategy in a transparent and inclusive process. Safety Action Plans include a set of required components and are a prerequisite for applying for SS4A Implementation Grant funding.

The four RPCs are requesting assistance to facilitate the efficient development of Safety Action Plans for their regions. The linked document below includes the details of this RFP as well as the basic scope and tasks to be accomplished.

Request for Proposals - MPO Safety Action Plans

Visit USDOT's SS4A website for further information: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A

Strafford Regional Planning Commission | 603-994-3500 srpc@strafford.org| www.strafford.org

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October 6, 2023