Governor announces release of $76 Million

I am very pleased to share that, finally, the Safe routes to School grants and the Smart Transportation PCTI grants were awarded today in PA.

A total of $16.8 million was awarded to create Safe Routes to School– which is about 80% of PA’s overall SRTS funds. Congratulations Pennsylvania!

Still -- there is much work to do in Berks County.

GOVERNOR RENDELL ANNOUNCES $76 MILLION TO CREATE GREEN JOBS, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES INVESTMENTS EASE TRAFFIC CONGESTION, ENHANCE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania will create green jobs, relieve traffic congestion and make it easier for students to walk and bike to school with the investment of $76 million in 80 transportation projects, Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today.
“PennDOT’s investments will help us weather the current economic storm and make lasting community improvements for future generations,” Governor Rendell said. “These investments will stimulate the economy by putting people to work creating sustainable communities that will improve our quality of life and send a clear message that Pennsylvania is a great place to live and work.
“Investments in smart transportation and creating safe routes to schools offer travel options that help reduce reliance on fossil fuels. By building more rational connections within communities we can reduce vehicle use and attract pedestrians and bicyclists. These small steps will help Pennsylvania and the nation combat climate change and reduce reliance on imported fuels,” the Governor said.
The Department of Transportation is providing $59.2 million for 50 Smart Transportation-related projects and $16.8 million for 30 Safe Routes to School projects that will improve safety and encourage walking and biking-friendly improvements.

Click here read the full release!

Academy of Pediatrics says how we build is bad for our kids!

FIGURE 1 Comparison of street networks and land use in sprawled (upper) and traditional (lower) neighborhoods. Source: Drawing by Duany Plater Zyberk as shown in Spielberg F. The traditional neighborhood development: how will traffic engineers respond? ITE J. 1989;59:17.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Academy of Pediatrics says how we build is bad for our kids!
Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics adopted a ground-breaking policy statement on the link between how we build communities and the health of the children in those communities."The current approach to development isn't good for kids." Richard Jackson, Professor and Chair, Environmental Health Sciences UCLA School of Public Health, says.

An excerpt from the article:
"A child's life is affected by the environment in which he or she lives. Relationships between health and the quality of air, water, and food are well recognized.1–3 The physical environments of the home and school also influence health through exposures to lead,4 mold,5 noise,6 or ambient light.7 In addition, the overall structure of the physical environment of a child's community (referred to as the "built environment") can also affect health in diverse ways.

As cities have expanded into rural areas, large tracts of land have been frequently transformed into low-density developments in a "leapfrog" manner. The resultant urban sprawl can increase automobile travel, which increases air pollution8 as well as passenger and pedestrian traffic fatalities.9 Some urban areas may have few supermarkets, produce stands, or community gardens, thereby limiting access to fresh fruits and vegetables.10 The physical environment of a community can support opportunities for play, an essential component of child development,11 and for physical activity, a health behavior that not only reduces risk of excess weight gain12,13 but also has many other benefits for overall well-being. "

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;123/6/1591
Posted by Heidi Green at 8:36 PM

Thank you Heidi, for your contribution and bringing our attention to this excellent research!
0 comments:

IWalk 2009

Begin planning now for the October 7, 2009 International Walk to School Event!

Make IWALK 2009 a great PTA or PTO event

International Walk to School Day or IWALK is a day which promotes the health of kids, making great green choices, and provides safer routes for walking and bicycling.

Involve your APT, PTO or other parent teacher organizations. You can expect to get every student in the school involved, even those that ride a bus.

What is IWALK?

Based on the International IWALK site, www.iwalktoschool.org.

IWALK started in 1994 in Great Britain, and as of 2007 was in 40 countries.

IWALK is a great idea, as it promotes exercise, teaches that walking a few blocks is OK, and if we walk, we're not polluting the neighborhood with our cars. Something great happens to a community that walks to school, you actually get to talk to your neighbor and share common experiences, or ask about the street light that is no longer working.

Any way you slice it, IWALK is good for you, your community, and your environment.

Click here to read the full source.

Rutas seguras a enseñar para cada comunidad [Safe Routes to School for Every Community]

Problema
Por qué funcionan las rutas escolares seguras
El tráfico atasca las calles alrededor de las escuelas y crea un ambiente difícil y peligroso para desplazarse a pie o en bicicleta
Dejar el auto en casa reduce el tráfico alrededor de las escuelas y mejora la calidad del aire
Los padres y los estudiantes se desplazan a pie o en bicicleta en condiciones peligrosas
La seguridad es el componente principal de todos los programas SRTS
Cada vez más estudiantes hacen menos ejercicio
Ir a pie o en bicicleta a la escuela puede contribuir al desarrollo del hábito de hacer ejercicio para toda la vida
Éxito
Los buenos programas SRTS son esfuerzos sostenidos que implican reunir la combinación correcta de personas, identificar los problemas y buscar maneras de mejorar las condiciones de desplazamiento a pie o en bicicleta. Los programas SRTS se esfuerzan por lograr lo siguiente...
• evaluar las rutas de desplazamiento escolar seguras
• estimular el aumento del porcentaje de estudiantes que van a pie o en bicicleta a la escuela a través de promociones y acontecimientos entretenidos
• hacer cambios infraestructurales tales como construcción de aceras, mejoramiento de cruces de peatones y capacitación de guardas de cruces de peatones
• enseñar a los estudiantes, a los padres y a los conductores a desplazarse con seguridad
• promover el desplazamiento seguro a pie o en bicicleta en toda la comunidad
Los programas de rutas escolares seguras (Safe Routes to School, SRTS) aplican un enfoque global para que las rutas escolares sean seguras para el desplazamiento de estudiantes a pie o en bicicleta. Los líderes de la comunidad, los padres y las escuelas están poniendo en práctica estos programas para mejorar la vida de los estudiantes poco a poco.
Los Estudiantes Merecen Rutas Escolares Seguras
y las comunidades en todo Estados Unidos lo están haciendo realidad
Comience inmediatamente
Hay nueva legislación que ha reconocido el valor de los programas SRTS y está dando fondos a los estados para que establezcan tales programas. Para obtener más información sobre la manera de establecer un programa de rutas escolares seguras, visite el Centro Nacional de Rutas Escolares Seguras (National Center for Safe Routes to School) en www.saferoutesinfo.org

Bike To Work Contest

There are still 10 days left in May to celebrate the bicycle as a means of transportation to your place of work for Bike To Work month! Bike To Work day showed that commuters all across the country have decided and continue to decide that the bicycle is a great choice in your alternate transportation needs.

What are you doing to promote the bicycle at your place of business? You still have time to get your fellow employees and employer to participate in our Bike To Work contest where you could be the winner of $200 off a new bicycle! See previous post for details at the below link and access to tracking reports on your commute for the contest through our yahoogroups link. You must sign up for our yahoogroups listserve to access.

http://walkbikeberks.blogspot.com/2009/04/walkbikeberks-host-bike-to-work.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/walkbikeberks/files/Fliers/WBB_Emp_Tracker153.jpg

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/walkbikeberks/files/Fliers/WBB_Emp_Tracker2154.jpg

Join employers across the county such as Baldwin, Berks County, the City of Reading, Sovereign and Best Buy where employees are commuting to work by bicycle. Team up with fellow employees to get the most employees participating and increase your chances of winning the contest!

Happy Commuting!

Bike to Work Photos

This picture and more than 200 others from across Pennsylvania can be found on Bike to Work Pennsylvania.

Sponsors for HB1110

1. MILLER
2. GEIST
3. ARGALL
4. BARRAR
5. BEYER
6. BRIGGS
7. CLYMER
8. D. COSTA
9. DALEY
10. DePASQUALE
11. DeWEESE
12. EVERETT
13. FRANKEL
14. FREEMAN
15. GINGRICH
16. GOODMAN
17. GRELL
18. HENNESSEY
19. JOSEPHS
20. KORTZ
21. MAHONEY
22. MANN
23. MURT
24. M. O'BRIEN
25. PICKETT
26. PRESTON
27. REICHLEY
28. SANTONI
29. SCHRODER
30. SIPTROTH
31. STURLA
32. SWANGER
33. VITALI
34. VULAKOVICH
35. WALKO
36. WATSON
37. HUTCHINSON
38. HANNA
39. GILLESPIE
40. KOTIK
41. KESSLER
42. JOHNSON
43. WAGNER
44. MATZIE