Safe Routes to School E-News
Issue #170: May 2020

Safe Routes Partnership E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes Partnership. We are also on Facebook and Twitter. Join us!

  1. Harnessing Data to Advance Safe Routes to Parks
  2. Advocating for Essential Transit Options: Active Transportation Advocates as Allies
  3. Open Streets, Shared Streets, Healthy Streets—Creating Mobility and Physical Activity Solutions Now and in the Future
  4. Portland, OR Identifies Plan for Reconfiguring Streets for Physical Distancing
  5. What’s Next for Congress to Address Coronavirus?
  6. Safe Routes for Youth: Supporting and Empowering Teen Leaders in Vision Zero
  7. Bicycling During COVID-19 Survey for Adults Age 50+
  8. Community-led Art Installation Encourages Safer Streets Near Old Stadium Park – And Serves as a Model for Oahu
  9. Links and Resources

1. Harnessing Data to Advance Safe Routes to Parks 

Data can seem boring, hard to work with, and even intimidating. But if we know what to do with it, data can be the power booster that Safe Routes to Parks efforts need to make changes for safer, more equitable park access. Collecting and using data is an essential part of Safe Routes to Parks because it gives information about what is really happening in communities, which can spark ideas for solutions and inform how to move toward them. Data can help you identify community priorities, advocate for change, and measure success. This fact sheet provides ideas for ways to access and collect data as well as ways to effectively share the information to improve safe, equitable access to parks and green space.

2. Advocating for Essential Transit Options: Active Transportation Advocates as Allies 

The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a spotlight on everyone’s need for safe, affordable and healthy transportation options and makes it clear that public transit is an essential service. It has also highlighted some of the inequities of transit options for low-income and communities of color – riders who depend on transit services most. In this blog post we share some key takeaways, lessons learned, and solutions we have seen working for transit agencies through COVID-19.

3. Open Streets, Shared Streets, Healthy Streets—Creating Mobility and Physical Activity Solutions Now and in the Future 

During social distancing, many communities are pushing local leaders to limit car traffic on low-volume streets to create more space for walking, biking and rolling. These campaigns must be approached thoughtfully, with an understanding of the local community’s specific needs. Here are key questions and strategies that advocates should consider when pursuing a campaign to create space on streets for recreation. 

4. Portland, OR Identifies Plan for Reconfiguring Streets for Physical Distancing

In late April, the City of Portland announced a "Slow Streets | Safe Streets" plan to support physical distancing, allow increased movement, and support the City of Portland’s re-opening process when the time is right. While there is more work to do to ensure everyone can walk, run, and ride on our streets, we support Portland's thoughtful approach to equity and enforcement and considering necessity, basic needs, and resources first. We are pleased that the phased plan ensures Portlanders continue to stay home to save lives, and look forward to the safety and equity benefits from reallocating space on busy streets and business districts. 

5. What’s Next for Congress to Address Coronavirus? 

Since our last post in early April describing the CARES Act, Congress has refilled the pot of funding for small business loans and provided funding to hospitals and testing. It is much less clear at this point what is next as Congress tries to address COVID-19 and its impact on the economy. The next bill Congress works on will most likely still be focused on the immediate impacts of the Coronavirus outbreak, with a later package this summer focusing on trying to get people back to work and restore the economy. This later package is where infrastructure has the most likelihood of happening. Read more in our latest federal blog post.

6. Safe Routes for Youth: Supporting and Empowering Teen Leaders in Vision Zero 

From technology to transportation, young people are natural trendsetters. Their creativity and innovation are transforming the ways we live, work, and play – including how we move around our communities. Our new toolkit provides tips and strategies for effectively engaging young people in Vision Zero, including ideas for integration into SRTS programming, general principles of youth engagement, and more. We review the basic tenets of Vision Zero and how they can be integrated into Safe Routes to School programming, share general principles of youth engagement, feature organizations leading innovative youth traffic safety programs in Washington, DC, and provide tools to help you design and implement a successful youth safety initiative in your community.

7. Bicycling During COVID-19 Survey for Adults Age 50+ 

While our everyday world has turned upside down, the need to remain healthy is a constant. COVID-19 statistics tell us that older adults are more vulnerable than the general population. Yet, many older adults who are active and healthy are finding ways to remain so while adhering to directives from state and local governments.

Share how you are remaining active or why you are not by taking this short, anonymous survey. The survey was originally offered the first week of April and is being offered again this month to see what has changed, especially with some communities transitioning out of COVID-19 restrictions. 

Click here to take the COVID-19 Add-on survey if you are 50 or older. The survey is open until Sunday, May 17.

Background: Carol Kachadoorian from dbl Tilde Collaborative launched the 50+ Cycling Survey in late 2017. Now in Year 3, this nationwide survey of 50+ cyclists provides information on the history, experiences, and preferences of older riders.

8. Community-led Art Installation Encourages Safer Streets Near Old Stadium Park – And Serves as a Model for Oahu 

Since 2017, Blue Zones Project has been working on revitalizing and improving access to Old Stadium Park in the neighborhoods of Mānoa, Makiki, McCully, and Mōʻiliʻili in Oahu. With support from a Safe Routes to Parks award and technical assistance, Blue Zones Project collaborated with community members to create a community-led installation that is encouraging safe streets near this historic park and serving as a model for Oahu. Read more.

9. Links and Resources