Safe Routes to School E-News
Issue #110: April 2015
Safe Routes to School E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes Partnership (Safe Routes Partnership), which is leading the national movement for Safe Routes to School by coordinating and energizing more than 600 organizations, government agencies, schools and professional groups. Our mission is to advance safe walking and bicycling to and from schools, and in daily life, to improve the health and well-being of America’s children and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities.
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- Welcoming Cassandra Isidro
- Latest from Capitol Hill
- Now Hiring A Senior California Policy Manager
- Spotlight on Technical Assistance in Ohio
- Fire Up Your Feet is Springing To Action
- Missed Our Last Webinar?
- News from the Field
- Highlighted Blogs
Last month we were pleased to announce that Cassandra Isidro has been named the new executive director of the Safe Routes Partnership. “It is with great enthusiasm that I join with you to move our powerful mission forward,” states Isidro who brings the organization more than 20 years of executive leadership, program planning and development experience in the nonprofit sector. “The Safe Routes to School and active transportation movement thrive on collaboration and partnership and I look forward to all we can build together. I hope you will reach out to me directly as I begin, letting me know your thoughts, ideas to partner and how we can serve you best.” Cass will join the Safe Routes Partnership on April 6, 2015 and can be reached at cass@saferoutespartnership.org. For more info on this exciting announcement, click here to see the official press release.
2. The Latest from Capitol Hill
Two new bills would advance Safe Routes to School funding, transportation safety
With less than two months to go before the current MAP-21 transportation law expires, members of Congress are championing their priorities. The Safe Routes Partnership is supporting two new bills: S. 705, which would strengthen and increase funding for the Transportation Alternatives Program, and HR 1274, which creates a grant program to support Vision Zero initiatives around the country. Our federal blog has the details on both bills, and you can take action and ask your Senator to sign on to S. 705. With your help, we can build support for funding for Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking in the next transportation bill.
In other news, states have received new allocations of funding for the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), and our most recent state of the states quarterly report shows that more than half of states obligated some of these funds in the most recent quarter. We are also pleased to see that, while states are allowed to transfer up to half of their TAP funds to other transportation programs, states have only transferred about 10 percent of these funds—showing the interest in and need for this program around the country.
3. Now Hiring A Senior California Policy Manager
The Safe Routes Partnership is now accepting applications for the position of senior California policy manager. We’re looking for someone with the passion and expertise to impact California funding and policy on active transportation and Safe Routes to School. The senior California policy manager serves as the lead staff for the Safe Routes Partnership’s state policy work in California. As such, the senior California policy manager maintains the California network and leads work with state agencies and the state legislature on strategies to increase funding and improve policies that result in more infrastructure and programs to support safe walking and bicycling for children and families, especially in lower-income communities, throughout California.
Applications are due by Friday, April 10 at 5pm pacific. However, applications received by Thursday, April 2 will be considered for interviews as soon as April 3. The position description has full details on the role, responsibilities and ideal candidate profile.
Please forward this announcement to your networks!
4. Spotlight on Technical Assistance in Ohio
In Ohio, the Safe Routes Partnership is working with the Ohio Department of Health to support healthier local communities through technical assistance, workshops, webinars and other assistance. Complete Streets, school siting, shared use, bicycle and pedestrian plans and active commutes are all fair game as our field services manager works with the Ohio Department of Health to make Ohio healthier. The technical assistance is available to local sub-grantees in two programs - the Creating Healthy Communities program, and the Preventing Obesity, Diabetes, and Heart Disease and Stroke in Ohio Communities (1422) program.
What's happening in your state? Are you working to improve health and active living? To learn more about our consulting program and how the Safe Routes Partnership may be able to help you with your needs, click here.
5. Fire Up Your Feet is Springing To Action
Schools play a big role in encouraging active lifestyles for students of all ages and ensuring kids get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Fire Up Your Feet helps students, families and school staff make small lifestyle changes that can yield big rewards in terms of overall health. Even better, more than $100,000 in awards will be given out nationally to support active schools. The Fire Up Your Feet Activity Challenge kicks off in April and May in select states and regions. Sign up today!
If you missed our March webinar – Biking and Communities of Color: Friend or Foe? – you can access audio-visual recordings and download Powerpoint slides from it on our website. While you are there you may want to check out other archived webinars like Complete Streets in the South, Shared Use: Tools You Can Use and more to inform and enhance your local work!
Undertaking strategies to address pedestrian fatalities in Prince George’s Co.
The Greater Washington DC regional network has partnered with the Washington Area Bicyclists and the Institute for Public Health Innovation to submit a coalition letter to urge Prince George’s County executive Rushern Baker III to sign on to the FHWA Mayor’s Challenge for Safer People, Safe Streets as an indication of his commitment to address a persistently high rate of pedestrian fatalities in the county. This collaborative effort coincides with the kickoff in of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Spring 2015 Street Smart campaign.
Highlighted Blogs
Bike Mechanics Emerge As Key Components of Citi Bike’s Equity Efforts (PeopleForBikes)
Transportation Engineer on What Convinced Him to Use Complete Streets Approach (Smart Growth America)
For more information, contact:
Margaux Mennesson, Communications Manager
Safe Routes Partnership
margaux@saferoutespartnership.org
www.saferoutespartnership.org