We hate to pest, but your donations really are a critical source of funding for our work. If you haven't already given this season, please make your donation today. We became "Bike Walk Connecticut" in 2010. And what happened? Connecticut moved up from 44th place in 2009 to 18th place in 2013 on the League of American Bicyclists' Bike Friendly America state rankings--that's no accident. But we all know there's more work to do. Your gift will help us keep making Connecticut a better place to walk and bike, with more advocacy, more education, more complete streets, and more bike-friendly communities, businesses and universities. Please donate today. Thank you! P.S. Make it monthly! Paypal now makes it even easier to donate monthly. Your gift of just $5, $10 or $20 a month will help provide Bike Walk Connecticut with the resources it needs to make even more of a difference. Don't like online giving? You can always mail your check to Bike Walk Connecticut, PO Box 270149, West Hartford, CT 06127. Some cities' policy and planning efforts are making walking an everyday means of commuting. That's the case in Cambridge, MA, where nearly a quarter of residents walk to work, far more than any other larger U.S. city.
“Everything that we’ve done in terms of streets and public infrastructure has been making it a place where people want to walk and bike,” said Cara Seiderman, a transportation program manager for Cambridge, MA. Census data shows that the city's focus has paid off: New Haven comes in at a very respectable 8th place, with 11.2% of its residents walking to work. Governing.com's Walkable Cities Map shows US cities where the most residents walk to work, with detailed data for 300 jurisdictions. Connecticut comes in with New Haven at 11.2%, Hartford at 7.9%, Bridgeport at 4.3%, and Waterbury at 2.6% of commuters walking to work. Sources: Governing.com and the Census Bureau: 2010-2012 American Communities Survey 3-year estimates The University of Connecticut (UConn) is creating a new master plan—the Next Generation Connecticut plan, which will bring extensive development and renovation to the university.
According to the Hartford Courant, plan of the plan includes looking into adding more walkways and bikeways on the roads around the UConn campus in Mansfield. Linda Painter, the Mansfield Town Planner stated she wants to see more walkways and bikeways near the campus to cut down on vehicular traffic and improve pedestrian safety. Read the article in its entirety here. According to the New Haven Independent, New Haven Mayor-Elect Toni Harp announced Matthew Nemerson will serve as her new economic development administrator.
Newmerson is the former New Haven Chamber of Commerce president and has spent years studying New Haven's redevelopment. Read more here to see what his plans are for New Haven. The City of New Haven plans to replace many of the city's pedestrian and street signs in 2014.
According to the Yale Daily News, many of the signs have grown out of date. The city will use a $670,000 grant it won in 2011 to renew its signage system. Many of the signs are over 20 years old. They are being replaced because they contain out-of-date information or appear decrepit. Many are worn or pealing or are leaning over. City officials also hope to add signs that will market destinations throughout the city. Additionally, the project will add pedestrian signs in the downtown area, and other areas in the city with high pedestrian traffic. Fieldwork on the project will begin in 2014, and the signs will be place in 2015. Read the full article here. The Connecticut Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Office is bringing the "Save a Life Tour" to Connecticut high schools.
According to an article in the Hartford Courant, this highly impactful distracted driving program is geared for teenagers. The program kicked-off at Bristol Eastern High School on December 9, and will continue at more than 30 schools throughout Connecticut in 2014. The distracted driving effort is focuses on ways to change drivers' behavior through legislation, enforcement, public awareness and education. Read the full article here. The Reminder reports Westfield, MA approved the completion of phase two of the Columbia Greenway section of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail.
The city will use a $2 million grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environment Affairs to construct the trail. Construction is slated to start in March 2014 and the trail will open late summer or early fall 2014. Read the full article here. Study Reports Pedestrian Friendly Shopping Districts Bring Economic Benefits to Business Owners12/18/2013
A new study titled Business Performance in Walkable Shopping Areas found that walking shopping areas have a potential to prosper due to demographics, increased gas prices, public policies encouraging higher densities and changing life-style preferences.
The study consisted of a meta-analysis of 70 studies and articles. The author also conducted an exploratory study of 15 walkable shopping areas judged as successful to examine the sources of success. Other key findings from the study include:
The study evidence suggests that walkable retail is on the upswing, and likely to grow over the next several decades. Click here to read the full study results. The New Haven Independent reported the City of New Haven's Director of Traffic, Transportation and Parking, Jim Travers announced he will step down from his position in January. He says he will be leaving to join the United Way of greater New Haven as vice president of resource development.
New Haven Mayor-elect Toni Harp said she wishes Travers would have stayed and does not have a successor for the position in mind. Read the full article here. According to the Hartford Courant, the Southington Town Council approved a contract on December 9 to design an extension of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. This would close 30% of the remaining gap in the town's portion of the trail.
The article states that Town Manager Garry Brumback said the the design may take up to a year to complete and the construction will take even longer. The proposal that was approved on December 9th will cost approximately $159,500 for a consulting firm to design the new sections of the path. The state will finance 80% of the project, while Plainville and Southington will pay 20%. However, the Farmington Valley Trails Council may pick up 10% of the cost. Read the full article in the Hartford Courant here. |
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