With ridership at record highs, transit agencies across the country are facing unprecedented fiscal crises in this economic downturn, with many considering layoffs, service cuts and fare hikes that are hitting at the worst possible time. ... job cuts, service reductions and fare hikes, but will receive no assistance under the current recovery proposals before Congress to prevent these painful cuts.
Find out more and learn what you can do to help at t4america.org/transitcuts
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
No Blank Checks For Highways!
The Senate is poised to raid high-speed rail to throw billions more to the highway lobby!
There's time to stop it...but it's running out.
Tell your senators: No road-building blank checks!
I know we've been asking a lot of you, but I need your urgent help again today.
Senator Kit Bond has proposed two amendments that would strip all funding in the stimulus from high-speed rail and move it into highway construction!
Meanwhile, Senator Jim Inhofe has an amendment of his own that would add $50 billion to a slush fund for road construction - a virtual blank check for the highway lobby!
Write your senators TODAY and urge them to vote against raiding transit and rail funding for a highways-only slush fund!
Imagine it: tens of billions with no strings attached - no language for accountability, no prioritization for repair, and no promise of clean energy solutions for the 21st Century.
Sen. Bond's amendments in particular would raid funding for the most innovative projects, leaving exciting new transit solutions like California's high-speed rail line on the cutting-room floor.
Last week, we made a huge impact on the House version of the economic recovery package. After receiving your letters and phone calls, members of Congress added $3 billion in transit investment to the bill.
Now we need to keep pushing on the other side of the Capitol. If we don't, the transit money could be overwhelmed by wasteful spending that serves the special interests rather than the public interest.
We need your help NOW. The Senate is deliberating on this TODAY!
Tell your senators: "No blank checks for highway construction!"
Thank you for your support at this critical time.
Sincerely,
Ilana PreussOutreach and Field DirectorTransportation for America
There's time to stop it...but it's running out.
Tell your senators: No road-building blank checks!
I know we've been asking a lot of you, but I need your urgent help again today.
Senator Kit Bond has proposed two amendments that would strip all funding in the stimulus from high-speed rail and move it into highway construction!
Meanwhile, Senator Jim Inhofe has an amendment of his own that would add $50 billion to a slush fund for road construction - a virtual blank check for the highway lobby!
Write your senators TODAY and urge them to vote against raiding transit and rail funding for a highways-only slush fund!
Imagine it: tens of billions with no strings attached - no language for accountability, no prioritization for repair, and no promise of clean energy solutions for the 21st Century.
Sen. Bond's amendments in particular would raid funding for the most innovative projects, leaving exciting new transit solutions like California's high-speed rail line on the cutting-room floor.
Last week, we made a huge impact on the House version of the economic recovery package. After receiving your letters and phone calls, members of Congress added $3 billion in transit investment to the bill.
Now we need to keep pushing on the other side of the Capitol. If we don't, the transit money could be overwhelmed by wasteful spending that serves the special interests rather than the public interest.
We need your help NOW. The Senate is deliberating on this TODAY!
Tell your senators: "No blank checks for highway construction!"
Thank you for your support at this critical time.
Sincerely,
Ilana PreussOutreach and Field DirectorTransportation for America
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Fleetwood School District Walks to School
Walking School Bus In Fleetwood
Fleetwood Area School District
Activating an Entire District 07/05
The walking school bus makes its way to Fleetwood Elementary
In the heart of Berks County's Pennsylvania Dutch Country where foods like shoo fly pie, 'sticky buns' and hearty meats and pot pies are dinner-time staples, the legacy of heavy eating habits poses a challenge to this generation. Unlike their ancestors who burned off those high calorie meals with long hours in the field, tending to the county's farms, today's kids spend much of their time in front of computers and TVs, and simply aren't as active as their grandparents.
But Fleetwood Area School District has launched a campaign to change that.
All five buildings in the district have enrolled for a second year as Keystone Healthy Zone Schools, and all five have embarked on major initiatives to get their kids up and moving with walking programs, partnerships with a local gym, a walk-to-school day, and complementary nutrition education programs.
At the center of the efforts are the district's school health councils.
"I had wanted to put one together for several years now, but never had the time allotted to do it," says Jan Warischalk, certified school nurse at Andrew Maier Elementary and the district's other elementary buildings, who has been leading Fleetwood's Keystone Healthy Zone initiatives.
Each of Fleetwood's school buildings won a Keystone Healthy Zone Mini-Grant from PANA...
Jan invited the school's guidance counselors, physical education teachers, health teachers, other nurses, principals, community members, school board members, parents, students, a local pastor, and others. She used Powerpoint presentations from PANA's website to explain the obesity epidemic and to talk about the importance of quality physical education and good nutrition. This year the school health councils will break into building levels and will focus on writing wellness policies....
Jan and the district nurses had been tracking students body mass indexes for several years and saw that they were high. Andrew Maier building principal Anthony Bonanni suggested a walking program would be a good way to get the kids active in a structured, safe manner during recess.
Fleetwood Elementary students rallied with parents, teachers and school administrators for Walk to School DayBonanni also challenged the kids to keep track of their steps --- and to walk the equivalent of the mileage (3,000 miles) to Bandon, Oregon, a sort of 'sister city' to the school's hometown of Blandon. The students met the challenge by Christmas, so he then challenged them to "walk to" Brandon, Florida by the end of the school year.
The school gave students cards to log their mileage, and rewards them for miles walked. The rewards, which are quite significant - last year Jan gave out 10 bicycles - are being purchased with grant money from the Department of Community and Economic Development that Pennsylvania Senator Michael O'Pake helped the school obtain. For every 20 miles walked, students got to put one ticket in a drawing for a bike. For every five miles above that, they got to add an additional ticket. Students collectively logged 7,000 miles in the 2004-05 school year.
A parent in the school district who works as an architect, John Watkins, is also donating much of his time at a discounted rate to help build a walking trail around the perimeter of the high school's campus.
In May, Fleetwood Elementary held a walk to school day program in which more than 100 students - about half of the building's population - walked with parents, grandparents, teachers and supervisors in groups to school. They carried signs with slogans like, "Fit at Fleetwood," and many told school nurse Julie Knabb, who organized the program, that they were eager to do it again in the fall....
http://www.panaonline.org/programs/khz/stories/featured/fleetwood.php
Fleetwood Area School District
Activating an Entire District 07/05
The walking school bus makes its way to Fleetwood Elementary
In the heart of Berks County's Pennsylvania Dutch Country where foods like shoo fly pie, 'sticky buns' and hearty meats and pot pies are dinner-time staples, the legacy of heavy eating habits poses a challenge to this generation. Unlike their ancestors who burned off those high calorie meals with long hours in the field, tending to the county's farms, today's kids spend much of their time in front of computers and TVs, and simply aren't as active as their grandparents.
But Fleetwood Area School District has launched a campaign to change that.
All five buildings in the district have enrolled for a second year as Keystone Healthy Zone Schools, and all five have embarked on major initiatives to get their kids up and moving with walking programs, partnerships with a local gym, a walk-to-school day, and complementary nutrition education programs.
At the center of the efforts are the district's school health councils.
"I had wanted to put one together for several years now, but never had the time allotted to do it," says Jan Warischalk, certified school nurse at Andrew Maier Elementary and the district's other elementary buildings, who has been leading Fleetwood's Keystone Healthy Zone initiatives.
Each of Fleetwood's school buildings won a Keystone Healthy Zone Mini-Grant from PANA...
Jan invited the school's guidance counselors, physical education teachers, health teachers, other nurses, principals, community members, school board members, parents, students, a local pastor, and others. She used Powerpoint presentations from PANA's website to explain the obesity epidemic and to talk about the importance of quality physical education and good nutrition. This year the school health councils will break into building levels and will focus on writing wellness policies....
Jan and the district nurses had been tracking students body mass indexes for several years and saw that they were high. Andrew Maier building principal Anthony Bonanni suggested a walking program would be a good way to get the kids active in a structured, safe manner during recess.
Fleetwood Elementary students rallied with parents, teachers and school administrators for Walk to School DayBonanni also challenged the kids to keep track of their steps --- and to walk the equivalent of the mileage (3,000 miles) to Bandon, Oregon, a sort of 'sister city' to the school's hometown of Blandon. The students met the challenge by Christmas, so he then challenged them to "walk to" Brandon, Florida by the end of the school year.
The school gave students cards to log their mileage, and rewards them for miles walked. The rewards, which are quite significant - last year Jan gave out 10 bicycles - are being purchased with grant money from the Department of Community and Economic Development that Pennsylvania Senator Michael O'Pake helped the school obtain. For every 20 miles walked, students got to put one ticket in a drawing for a bike. For every five miles above that, they got to add an additional ticket. Students collectively logged 7,000 miles in the 2004-05 school year.
A parent in the school district who works as an architect, John Watkins, is also donating much of his time at a discounted rate to help build a walking trail around the perimeter of the high school's campus.
In May, Fleetwood Elementary held a walk to school day program in which more than 100 students - about half of the building's population - walked with parents, grandparents, teachers and supervisors in groups to school. They carried signs with slogans like, "Fit at Fleetwood," and many told school nurse Julie Knabb, who organized the program, that they were eager to do it again in the fall....
http://www.panaonline.org/programs/khz/stories/featured/fleetwood.php
Boyertown Focuses on Improvements -- and walkability
Building a Better Boyertown receives honor
By Diane VanDyke; Connection Writer
Building a Better Boyertown was in the spotlight at the 24th Annual Boyertown Area Progress Dinner on Jan. 21 in recognition of its accomplishments during 2008.TriCounty Area Chamber President P. Timothy Phelps and Berks County Commissioners Christian Y. Leinbach and Kevin S. Barnhardt presented the James K. Quality of Life Award to BBB President Charles Haddad and Main Street Manager Heather Oxenford at the event held at LaMassaria at Bella Vista Golf Course in New Hanover Township.
"Good things do not happen by themselves; it takes good people," Haddad said during the presentation. "We are fortunate to have good people in Boyertown to make things happen."
BBB, a nonprofit organization, started in 2002, as the result of Mayor Marianne Deery's vision.
"We needed to do something to revitalize the town to attract more businesses and increase the tax base," she said. ...
Business and property owners made approximately 27 faςade improvements using $75,000 in grant funds and about $100,000 in private investments. Improvements included the addition of new ramps, doors, and windows; painting; minor repairs; and planters.
BBB revived the entrances of the Borough's inner core parking lot by adding benches, planters and walkways.
"The Rhudes (Kevin and Dawn) recently purchased the State Theatre," Haddad told the 200 people in attendance. "This will become a main attraction to Boyertown with the continuation of movies and the addition of live performances by local theatre groups."
Future plans include a $3 million streetscape project to improve the seven-block area surrounding Boyer's Corner. The streetscape will include the addition of brick walkways, plantings and Victorian-style lighting. BBB secured grant funds for these improvements.
BBB also assisted the borough in purchasing the two-acre railroad parcel near the existing railroad tracks. BBB secured grant money to renovate the area when it knows the fate of the rail line.
http://www.berksmontnews.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Weekly?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_wk_article&r21.pgpath=%2FBMN%2FHome&r21.content=%2FBMN%2FHome%2FTopStoryList_Story_2669720
By Diane VanDyke; Connection Writer
Building a Better Boyertown was in the spotlight at the 24th Annual Boyertown Area Progress Dinner on Jan. 21 in recognition of its accomplishments during 2008.TriCounty Area Chamber President P. Timothy Phelps and Berks County Commissioners Christian Y. Leinbach and Kevin S. Barnhardt presented the James K. Quality of Life Award to BBB President Charles Haddad and Main Street Manager Heather Oxenford at the event held at LaMassaria at Bella Vista Golf Course in New Hanover Township.
"Good things do not happen by themselves; it takes good people," Haddad said during the presentation. "We are fortunate to have good people in Boyertown to make things happen."
BBB, a nonprofit organization, started in 2002, as the result of Mayor Marianne Deery's vision.
"We needed to do something to revitalize the town to attract more businesses and increase the tax base," she said. ...
Business and property owners made approximately 27 faςade improvements using $75,000 in grant funds and about $100,000 in private investments. Improvements included the addition of new ramps, doors, and windows; painting; minor repairs; and planters.
BBB revived the entrances of the Borough's inner core parking lot by adding benches, planters and walkways.
"The Rhudes (Kevin and Dawn) recently purchased the State Theatre," Haddad told the 200 people in attendance. "This will become a main attraction to Boyertown with the continuation of movies and the addition of live performances by local theatre groups."
Future plans include a $3 million streetscape project to improve the seven-block area surrounding Boyer's Corner. The streetscape will include the addition of brick walkways, plantings and Victorian-style lighting. BBB secured grant funds for these improvements.
BBB also assisted the borough in purchasing the two-acre railroad parcel near the existing railroad tracks. BBB secured grant money to renovate the area when it knows the fate of the rail line.
http://www.berksmontnews.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Weekly?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_wk_article&r21.pgpath=%2FBMN%2FHome&r21.content=%2FBMN%2FHome%2FTopStoryList_Story_2669720
Monday, February 2, 2009
A New Bike Friendly Shopping Center in PA?
A new shopping center is planned for Denver, PA -- and the township planning commission is asking for some changes to the design plan. Among the requests: bicycle accommodations and recreation space.
"Placing bicycle racks around the parking lot to accommodate ...families who rely on bicycles for transportation. Grant T. Smith, senior project manager with Stackhouse Bensinger Inc., Sinking Spring, said the request would be considered."
To read the full article, please visit the Reading Eagle at:
http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=123739
"Placing bicycle racks around the parking lot to accommodate ...families who rely on bicycles for transportation. Grant T. Smith, senior project manager with Stackhouse Bensinger Inc., Sinking Spring, said the request would be considered."
To read the full article, please visit the Reading Eagle at:
http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=123739
Benefits of Complete Streets
Do you agree that 'the streets of our cities and towns ought to be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper.'
Plan to call a Senator Today: Print the brochure provided here, or use one or more of the benefits fact sheets to polish up on your 'expertise' before calling.
Picture provided from Santa Barbara, California (Complete Streets website)
Promote complete streets!
Download our brochure now!
MORE ON BENEFITS
Click on the links below to see our fact sheets highlighting the benefits of complete streets. We encourage you to print and circulate these!
gas prices print screen text
climate change print screen text
economic revitalization print screen text
safety print screen text
children print screen text
people with disabilities print screen text
older people print screen text
health print screen text
transit print screen text
Note: "Print" versions are high resolution and "Screen" versions are low resolution. "Text" files are in MS Word format.
All content borrowed from http://www.completestreets.org/index.html.
Plan to call a Senator Today: Print the brochure provided here, or use one or more of the benefits fact sheets to polish up on your 'expertise' before calling.
Picture provided from Santa Barbara, California (Complete Streets website)Promote complete streets!
Download our brochure now!
MORE ON BENEFITS
Click on the links below to see our fact sheets highlighting the benefits of complete streets. We encourage you to print and circulate these!
gas prices print screen text
climate change print screen text
economic revitalization print screen text
safety print screen text
children print screen text
people with disabilities print screen text
older people print screen text
health print screen text
transit print screen text
Note: "Print" versions are high resolution and "Screen" versions are low resolution. "Text" files are in MS Word format.
All content borrowed from http://www.completestreets.org/index.html.
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