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Bike Walk CT's Executive Director, Kelly Kennedy, was quoted in TriState Transportation Campaign's news release today reporting that Connecticut people aged 60 years and older suffer disproportionately high pedestrian fatality rates.
TriState's new report, Older Pedestrians at Risk: A Ten Year Survey and Look Ahead, found that 123 pedestrians aged 60 years and older were killed on Connecticut roads from 2003 through 2012. Though comprising only 19 percent of the State’s population, this age group accounted for 35 percent of the total pedestrian fatalities in these 10 years. “Connecticut’s complete streets law requires municipalities to consider all users in road design and maintenance projects, but few are,” said Kelly Kennedy, Executive Director of Bike Walk Connecticut. “Cities, towns and counties across the state must be proactive in ensuring that road and bridge projects include pedestrian and bicyclist components like sidewalks and bike lanes,” she added. Tri-State recommends that:
Read the TriState Press Release. Read the full TriState report. WFSB reports Milford is working to install new bike racks throughout the city. The city already has some spots picked out for new racks, however they are also looking for public input from the people who will use them. Some spots that are up for consideration include around municipal buildings and town beaches.
If you have a bike rack location suggestion, send an e-mail to MilfordBikeRacks@ci.milford.ct.us WTNH 8 reports that Whitney Avenue will close at Audubon Street in New Haven from July 21 to 24. The closure is for traffic-calming improvements, including a crosswalk, a curb extension and intersection markings.
The closing starts at 7 p.m. July 21 and will end at 4 p.m. on July 24. The city is making the changes to reduce vehicle speeds at the intersection and make it safer for pedestrians. The full list of detours due to the closure are here. As part of Bike Walk CT's Connecticut Complete Streets project, we hosted a Leadership Roundtable on June 30 at Middlesex Community College in Middletown. The event was designed to be an opportunity to meet people from communities that are already working to implement complete streets and others who want to make their own towns better places to bike and walk. It was meant to be a chance to hear what's going on in other towns (what's worked, what hasn't) and exchange ideas. Additional forums are anticipated for 2014 and 2015. Continued below Participants shared their Success Stories, Lessons Learned and Challenges at the meeting, and we captured them in a google spreadsheet.
Forum Fast Facts:
 Hartford, CT (July 1, 2014) – As part of a new “complete streets” initiative, Bike Walk Connecticut released a first-of-its-kind ranking of the state’s cities and towns on how bike- and walk-friendly they are. Simsbury (1), New Haven (2), New Britain (3), Glastonbury (4), and Middletown (5) claim top honors as the five most bike- and walk-friendly communities. Click here for full results.
The scorecard and rankings are based on an online, statewide public opinion survey that ran this spring and was open to anyone who lives or works in Connecticut. The rankings are also based on municipal leadership and engagement efforts—whether cities or towns have bicycle and pedestrian master plans; citizen task forces or advisory groups; complete streets policies; and whether they have conducted any public outreach efforts related to cycling, walking or complete streets. The surveys and scorecard are expected to be conducted annually as part of Bike Walk Connecticut’s new five-year initiative to make it safer and easier to walk and bike by implementing “complete streets” in cities and towns across Connecticut. Complete streets make it easier and safer for people to get around on foot or by bike, so they can be more physically active. Kelly Kennedy, Executive Director of Bike Walk Connecticut, explains that “We want this project to encourage cities and towns to take a really robust approach to complete streets and being bike- and walk-friendly. Being able to get around safely by bike or on foot isn’t just a fad or a health issue or environmental issue. It’s an economic development issue. Towns that are bike- and walk-friendly are great places to live, work, shop and play.” Bike Walk Connecticut has also started to develop an online repository for complete streets resources. What are Complete Streets? Complete Streets are streets that are designed to be safe for everyone to use. Complete Streets make it easier and safer to walk and bike to work, to school, to transit, for errands, or just for pleasure and exercise. Connecticut’s Complete Streets law (Conn. Gen. Stat. §13-153f) requires pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users to be routinely considered in the planning, designing, construction and operation of all roads. About the Project: This project is made possible through the financial support of the Connecticut Department of Public Health through Cooperative Agreement 1305 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the purpose of which is to promote statewide implementation of policies and actions to promote health and prevent and control chronic diseases. About Bike Walk Connecticut: Bike Walk Connecticut is a statewide, member-supported 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that works to make Connecticut a better place to bike and walk. For more information and updates on this Complete Streets Initiative, visit www.bikewalkct.org. This publication does not express the views of the Connecticut Department of Public Health or the State of Connecticut. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. Portland CT Seeks Bike Pedestrian Consultant Services for Complete Streets, Multiuse Trail7/15/2014
Deadline is 11:30 am July 24 The Town of Portland, CT seeks bike/pedestrian consulting services to help redevelop an historic rail bed for a multiuse trail and to establish a complete streets initiative.
Statements of Qualification are due by 11:30 am on July 24. Click here for RFQ. The News Times reports that 12 decorative bicycle racks are being installed in New Milford. The racks are being paid for by local businesses. The racks will be found along Main Street at Town Hall, the post office, library and Main Moon Chinese Restaurant. On Bank Street racks are at Morton's Jewelers and the Bank Street Theater. There will be additional racks at The Maxx on Railroad Street and outside the town's Parks and Recreation office on Bridge Street.
 Monday, July 7, 2014 9:34 PM EDT
By ROBERT STORACE, STAFF WRITER NEW BRITAIN — Get on your two-wheeler. Citing the city’s public outreach efforts and municipal leadership, Bike Walk Connecticut has ranked New Britain as the third most bike-friendly community in the state. It was also deemed the third most walk-friendly community. Kelly Kennedy, executive director of the non profit, said in a statement that “being able to get around safely by bike or on foot isn’t just a fad or a health issue, or environmental issue. It’s an economic development issue. Towns that are bike and walk friendly are great places to live, work, shop and play.” The scorecard and rankings, which were released July 1, were based on an online statewide public opinion survey conducted over the spring. The city got high marks for its public outreach efforts, having a bike/pedestrian task force, and is one of the few municipalities in the state to have a bike connectivity master plan. In addition, the city ranked 76 out of 100 for municipal leadership and engagement. It’s overall rank was 65 out of 100, trailing only Simsbury, which ranked 74.5 and New Haven, which ranked 73.5. There are 169 communities in the state, and only a few did not take park in the first-ever survey. > READ THE FULL NEW BRITAIN HERALD STORY HERE. PHOTO: Kevin Bartram | New Britain Herald Staff----A line of children wear new bicycle helmets during Bike Safety Day at the City of New Britain Camp Total Rec at Willow Brook Park. A public meeting will be held in South Windsor on Friday, June 27 at 8 a.m. to discuss the development of South Windsor Center.
According to the town, the Planning & Zoning Commission is looking for ways to encourage the evolution of the Town Center into a walkable, pedestrian-friendly place with a variety of uses. The meeting will be held at the Council Chambers of the South Windsor Town Hall. The public is invited to join in the discussion. For more information, visit southwindsor.org. Thanks to everyone who responded to our first annual bike friendly, walk friendly town survey! The survey is now closed so we can compile results. Please watch for an announcement by the end of the month. Top 20 Towns for Survey Participation Here's how survey participation stacked up when we closed the survey. As you'll see, population doesn't seem to have a lot to do with the number of responses from any given town. Small and medium sized towns are right up there with a few bigger cities. West Hartford maintained the lead, while the competition between MIddletown and Hartford persisted up until the last minute, with Middletown leading cities of Hartford and New Haven. Interesting! 
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