Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Greenways Council are seeking nominations for official state greenway designations.
According to a press release from DEEP, an official designation by the Greenways Council recognizes a greenway as an open space that not only meets the definition of a greenway, but also enhances the community and is supported by local government initiatives. Greenways that are designated by the state will have the opportunity to receive increased consideration for a variety of grants. The Greenways Council will evaluate all nominated greenways for consistency with designation criteria. Those selected for designation will be announced by the Greenways Council in conjunction with their National Trails Day event in June. The deadline for submission of nominations is May 1, 2014. There are currently 68 designated greenways in Connecticut. For more information visit www.ct.gov/deep/greenways. NBC 30 reports that the MTA in New York approved a test of bike hooks on Metro-North commuter trains on the New Haven train line.
The test will be two hooks on 50 cars. View the video from NBC 30 here. Hey Connecticut! Help make sure your town has access to a new way to finance safe streets for everyone--ask your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3978 today! One of the biggest challenges to making communities more walkable and bikeable is that there’s often only enough funding to build one stretch of pathways or sidewalks at a time—leaving incomplete networks from homes to schools, workplaces or other destinations. Don't we know it!
A new federal bill from Reps. Sires (D-NJ), Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Carson (D-IN), and Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) looks to change that. The New Opportunities for Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Financing Act (HR 3978) would give communities access to low-cost loans to build bicycling and walking networks. This means a city could get a loan now and build a network of sidewalks, bike lanes and paths to improve safety and increase physical activity—and repay the loan over many years. The bill would set aside $11 million from the existing $1 billion TIFIA loan program to test out this new financing program for bicycling and walking. (TIFIA stands for the "Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act.") Another innovative aspect of the bill is that 25 percent of any loaned funds must be spent in low-income communities. Help make sure your town has access to a new way to finance safe streets for everyone--ask your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3978 today! A new analysis from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign found that in the three years from 2010 to 2012, 111 pedestrians were killed on Connecticut roads. Connecticut’s pedestrian fatalities were concentrated in New Haven County (30 fatalities), Hartford County (29 fatalities) and Fairfield County (24 fatalities). These fatalities represent an increase from the Campaign’s 2013 analysis which found that 100 pedestrians were killed on the state’s roads from 2009 through 2011. The analysis found, for the sixth year in a row, US-1 to be the state’s most deadly road for pedestrians. During this period, 11 pedestrians were killed on the roadway. With four pedestrian fatalities, US-44 was the second most dangerous road for walking. “Since the Campaign’s first analysis in 2008, US-1 has consistently been Connecticut’s most deadly road for pedestrians. The state must commit to making significant changes that will save lives,” said Steven Higashide, senior planner with the Campaign. The Campaign found that arterial roadways—multi-lane roads that often have speed limits of 40 mph or more with little pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure—are the region’s most deadly for pedestrians. “While it is important that Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) address safety on state owned roads like US-1, cities and towns across the state should also pass, implement and enforce complete streets policies, to ensure that pedestrian, transit riders, bicyclists and motorists of all ages and abilities can safely travel on local roads as well,” said Kelly Kennedy, Executive Director of Bike Walk Connecticut. The Campaign praised and highlighted ConnDOT’s plan to narrow a three-mile section of US-44 in East Hartford as a good example of how to redesign dangerous roadways. The road will be transformed from four lanes to two lanes with additional parking, bike lanes and dedicated turn lanes. The Campaign urges Connecticut’s elected officials and agency leaders to:
For more information, visit http://tstc.org/reports/danger14/index.php By MaryEllen Thibodeau
On January 15, I passed the Board President's gavel to Bike Walk Connecticut's newly elected president, Laura Baum. Although my board term does not expire until December 31, 2014, I thought it would be good for Bike Walk Connecticut if I am able to assist the transition to new leadership while still an active board member. When one of our talented board members agreed to take over, I knew it was the right decision. I am delighted to introduce Laura Baum as the newly elected President of the Board of Bike Walk Connecticut. Laura joined the board in 2013 soon after moving to Connecticut. Although she grew up in the Portland, OR area, she is no stranger to New England, having gone to college in Providence. Laura has a masters degree in urban planning from the University of Minnesota and worked for St. Paul Smart Trips. She currently works as a project manager at Wesleyan University. Laura lives in Middletown with her husband, daughter and cat. Thank you all for your support of Bike Walk Connecticut and its mission. I look forward to a year in which we all work together for a walkable, bikeable Connecticut. The Merritt Parkway Trail Study town informational meetings will begin this month. The conceptual design for the multi-use trail will be show during these meetings.
Here is a listing of scheduled meetings to date: Fairfield — Tuesday, February 25, 2014, 7 p.m., Roger Ludlowe Middle School 689 Unquowa Rd. Fairfield, CT. Westport — Monday, March 10, 2014, 7 p.m., Westport Town Hall Auditorium, 110 Myrtle Avenue, Westport, CT. Fairfield — Wednesday, March 12, 2014, 7 p.m., Osborn Hill Elementary School, 760 Stillson Road, Fairfield, CT. |
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