Panel: The Case for Active Transportation

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1 Panel: The Case for Active Transportation Jenny Hansen Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Coordinator, Toledo Public Schools Eric Oberg Director of Trail Development, Rails-To-Trails Conservancy Moderated by Maura Johnson, President, Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor, Inc.

5 The Mission of the Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor is to advocate for and protect the historical, natural and cultural resources of the Maumee Valley watershed while promoting their use and appreciation by current and future residents and visitors.

6 Maumee Valley Watershed Watershed Boundary The Maumee Valley watershed encompasses over 6,500 square miles in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.

7 Maumee River Maumee River The Maumee River is the longest in the entire Great Lakes System and is a designated State Scenic and Recreational River in Ohio.

8 Maumee Valley Scenic Byway Scenic Byway The Maumee Valley Scenic Byway currently extends from Defiance on the west to Maumee/Rossford on the east.

Maumee Valley Scenic Byway Goals and Action

Educate the general public about the heritage

Advocate for the continued development of a

Encourage organizations and communities to

Work with city, village and township zoning

9 Maumee Valley Scenic Byway Goals and Action Plans 1. Educate the general public about the heritage of the Maumee River valley. 2. Advocate for the continued development of a multi-modal Byway corridor. 3. Encourage organizations and communities to beautify areas along the Byway. 4. Work with city, village and township zoning commissions to preserve the uniqueness of the Byway. 5. Assist in the development of an integrated signage and media system of local heritage features.

10 Active Transportation: Modest Investments-Big Rewards Presented by: Eric Oberg Manager of Trail Development Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Midwest Regional Office

11 Topics of Discussion Define Active Transportation Funding Picture Benefits of Active Transportation Economic Transportation Health Big Picture

12 Active Transportation A means of getting around that is powered by human energy, primarily walking and bicycling

13 Funding FAST Act- 5 Year Bill! Transportation Alternatives TA Recreational Trails Fund SRTS From $820M to $835M/Year in first two years. Then $850M/year final three years TIFIA Federal Loan Guarantee Program Minimum cost lowered from $50M (urban) & $25M (rural) to $10 regardless of location. Bundling of projects allowed Streamlined application process Can be used to capitalize State Infrastructure Banks

14 Funding State Clean Ohio Trail Fund (Bond Package) Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (Resource Extraction Tax) Minnesota Parks & Trails Fund (sales tax revenue) Florida Forever (Bond Package) Iowa (Voter approved trust fund)

15 Funding Local/Municipal Washington, D.C.- five cents plastic bag tax revenue is directed to Anacostia Watershed Conservation, including trail improvements Colorado Springs, CO- $4 excise tax on new bikes sold goes wholly to bikeway improvements Seattle, WA- Property tax levy St. Louis, MO- 0.1% sales tax for parks & open space created Great Rivers Greenway District

16 Benefits

17 Transportation ½ trips taken in America are under a 20 minute bike ride (3 Miles), ¼ are under 20 minute walk (1 Mile). 30% increase in traffic during school start/end times. In % of kids walked or biked to school, by % did. 28% of trips in Minneapolis include walking/biking. 12 Million miles traveled on Central Ohio Greenways in 2014

Transportation Trails provide a mode of traveling for people who can not drive, or do not own an automobile, such as children or the elderly Over 10

18 Transportation Trails provide a mode of traveling for people who can not drive, or do not own an automobile, such as children or the elderly Over 10 million American households do not own an automobile (2009 estimate) About 40% of adult Americans cannot or do not drive (U.S. Census) CVRR Trail, Valley, AL

19 Transportation

20 Economic Benefits Real Estate 2011 U-Cincinnati study found $9 in value for every foot closer to the trail a home was.

21 Economic Impact Overall Economic Impact Great Allegheny Passage studies found $50 Million in annual direct spending attributed to the trail, this is up from $7.26 million in There were $7.5 million in annual wages attributed to the trail 2014 study on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Pennsylvania found more than $7 Million dollars in annual visitor spending. Outer Banks of North Carolina study found that the annual impact of cycling there is more than nine times the one time cost of building the facilities!

22 Economic Trails add value! Mike Brown, Experience Columbus: Broad social benefits to the investment including: health, recreation, connectivity, access to green space, transportation, and as an amenity drawing excitement Eric Phillips, Union County Economic Development: The wow factor of trails and their access to schools, work, business is a key factor for community development.

23 Health 36% adults are overweight 23% are obese 78% of kids don t exercise 30 minutes per day 22% of our children are obese Less than half of Americans get 30 minutes of exercise daily Medical costs are exponentially higher On average obese children live 5 years less than their healthier peers

24 Health CDC recommends at least 30 minutes (adults) or 60 minutes (children) of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Walking 2 miles, in 30 minutes, or 1.75 miles, in 35 minutes Cycling 5 miles in 30 minutes Jogging 1.5 miles in 15 minutes Pushing a stroller 1.5 miles in 30 minutes

25 Where Are We? Trails Ohio Open Trails: 91 Open Mileage: 927 Projects: 43 Project Mileage: 341 Michigan Open Trails: 124 Open Mileage: 2,385 Projects: 24 Project Mileage: 228 Indiana Open Trails: 61 Open Mileage: 426 Projects: 23 Project Mileage: 223

27 Regional & National Connection Ohio-Erie Trail 330-Miles Cleveland-Cincinnati 280 Miles finished 300 miles in public ownership Pittsburgh-Washington DC is complete. Pittsburgh-Cleveland Receiving Congressional Interest. Connection from SW Ohio to Indianapolis is in the works.

28 Dayton Area-Miami Valley Trails Largest paved trail network in the Country!

29 Contact Information: Eric Oberg, Director of Trail Development, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Midwest Regional Office 716 Xenia Ave. #2 Yellow Springs, Ohio

30 Safe Routes to School Live Well Greater Toledo A diverse collaboration of community leaders and organizations working together to promote policy, systems and environmental change to support improved nutrition and physical activity for a healthier community and is strongly supported by the YMCA of Greater Toledo.

31 Safe Routes To School Goals What is SRTS Why it Matters Identify the steps to make it happen in your community

32 Safe Routes to School National Assists states and communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bicycle to school. The National Center serves as the information clearinghouse for the federal Safe Routes to School program. State The Ohio SRTS program is funded by the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA) and administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). The program supports Infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects and programs that enable and encourage walking and bicycling to and from school using the 5 e s.

33 Safe Routes to School Projects and Programs Supported Non-Infrastructure Projects and Programs that address the following four areas of SRTS: education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation. Infrastructure Projects that address the area of engineering in SRTS that include changes to the build environment designed to improve conditions for walking and bicycling to school.

34 Safe Routes to School The Five E s Engineering Projects that include changes to the built environment designed to improve conditions for walking and bicycling Education Programs that target pedestrian, bicycle, and safety Encouragement Programs that are FUN - generating excitement and interest in walking and bicycling to school Enforcement Strategies used to reinforce correct behavior of all modes of transportation Evaluation Methods to help measure the impact of SRTS

35 Safe Routes to School Why it matters Fewer kids are walking and biking to school. More parents are driving.

36 Safe Routes to School Why it matters In 1969, nearly half of all kids walked or Biked to school. Today, less than 15% National Center for Safe Routes to School, 2011

37 Safe Routes to School Why it matters Parents driving their kids to school account for approximately 14% of the morning rush hour traffic. McDonald, Brown, Marchetti, & Pedroso, 2011

38 Safe Routes to School Why it matters Inactivity

39 Safe Routes to School Why it Matters Today s generation may be the first to have a shorter life expectancy of their parents. Childhood Obesity Low Bone Density Diabetes 2 Aggravated Existing Asthma Low Self Esteem Sleep Apnea Fatigue

40 Safe Routes to School What are the Barriers Distance Campus setting Transportation costs are up! Walking/biking is not an option

41 Safe Routes to School What are the Barriers Traffic Danger Organized Chaos! Impatient motorists

42 Safe Routes to School What are the Barriers Lack of Sidewalks and safe crossings

43 Safe Routes to School What are the Barriers Weather adversity

44 Safe Routes to School What are the Barriers Fear of Crime or Danger Abandoned Homes Crossings Stray Dogs Bullying

45 Safe Routes to School What are the Barriers Opposing School Polices

46 Safe Routes to School Promoting safe walking and biking is an ideal strategy to address these barriers and increase physical activity.

47 Safe Routes to School Making it happen Step 1- Bring together the right people Identify those with the common interest in creating safe walking and biking in your community School District-Administration, nurses, teachers Parents City Government Mayor, city council Health Department Transportation Dept.- city and school district District SRTS Coordinator Bicycle and Ped advocates Health Providers MPO Law Enforcement

Safe Routes to School Making it happen Step 2- Apply for School Travel Plan (STP) Funding A written document that outlines a community s intentions for enabling students to engage in active

48 Safe Routes to School Making it happen Step 2- Apply for School Travel Plan (STP) Funding A written document that outlines a community s intentions for enabling students to engage in active transportation( i.e. walking or bicycling) to and from school. Typically open January-March Small district = < than 10 K-8 Schools No match funding required 3-6 months to complete Large district = >11 or more Required match funding 9-12 months to complete

49 Safe Routes to School Making it happen Step 3- Kick off meeting Create your vision Develop the next steps Form necessary task groups Develop a timeline

50 Safe Routes to School Making it happen Our Vision Toledo Safe Routes to School (SRTS) strives to create a community that supports and enhances safe walking and biking to school by focusing on engineering, enforcement, evaluation, education and encouragement. Safety: Creating designated neighborhood routes that avoid unsafe intersections and high crime spots where possible, by strengthening supervision and improving the infrastructure of the neighborhoods making them more walkable for everyone. Health and Wellness: Improving the health of our community and children by encouraging walking and biking to school. Environment: Improving air quality and our environment by reducing the use of cars and buses for travel to and from school.

51 Safe Routes to School Making it happen Step 3- Gather Data Walk Audits Student locations Hot spots Infrastructure barriers Surveys/Interviews Parents Principals Crossing Guards Community Members Classroom Tallies Identify current programs

52 Safe Routes to School Making it happen Step 4 - Identify the Issues Step 5 Identify solutions Incorporating the 5 E s Step 5 Develop the Action Plan Infrastructure Non Infrastructure Policies Related

53 Safe Routes to School Creating the change CELEBRATE! One of the 1 st large district STP s in the country and 2nd in Ohio Endorsements TMACOG City of Toledo City Council TPS Board of Education YMCA Prioritized projects and programs Applied for funding March 2015 Only fully funded program in Ohio Non Infrastructure $59, Infrastructure $

54 Safe Routes to School Creating the Change Non-Infrastructure Funding Toledo Safe Routes to School Coordinator Chief point of contact for the implementation of the STP, providing a critical link between the ODOT, COT, TPS district office, and Local SRTS Team. Manages implementation of the SRTS program at the district level and leads efforts to educate the broader community regarding SRTS goals and the STP process. Walk and Bike to School Day Events Raise awareness of the need for safe routes emphasizing the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, reducing traffic congestion and concern for the environment. Additional programs are funded by partners through in-kind services, grants, and contributions.

55 Safe Routes to School Creating the change Walking School Busses National Walk to School Day

56 Safe Routes to School Creating the change Bicycling Bicycle Fix It and Safety Program National Bike to School Day

57 Safe Routes to School Creating the change Infrastructure Funding 18 Countdown displays 20% -95% 2 Updated crossings and signage 29%-48% 1 Enhanced pedestrian lighting at underpass 75% 2 RRFB s- rectangular rapid flashing beacon 21% and 75% 3 side walk projects 78% 37% 92% East Leg Crossing 25%

58 Safe Routes to School Creating the change Sidewalks and Lighting East Broadway Bancroft (Holland Sylvania and Reynolds)

59 Safe Routes to School Creating the change Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons Cass and Laurentide Nebraska and Heidelberg

60 Safe Routes to School Creating the change East Leg Crossing and Upgrade Countdown Displays Cherry and Greenbelt

61 Thank you! Jenny Hansen Toledo Safe Routes to School Coordinator Live Well Greater Toledo

62 Panel: The Case for Active Transportation Jenny Hansen Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Coordinator, Toledo Public Schools Eric Oberg Director of Trail Development, Rails-To-Trails Conservancy Maura Johnson President, Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor, Inc. maumeevalleyheritagecorridor.org

Background and Goals of SRTS

Safe Routes to School Background and Goals of SRTS Oklahoma Kick-off May 4, 2011 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Fewer kids are biking and walking More parents are driving 1969 2009 48% walked or biked