Walk and Roll: WSDOT Active Transportation Update Oct. 21, 2019

Washington State Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 10/21/2019 04:48 PM PDT

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WSDOT Walk and Roll E-News alternates between this resource edition and a regional news round-up. It comes out 2-3 times per month. Most recent regional news round-up Oct. 2, 2019.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NEWS FROM WSDOT AND PARTNERS

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You're invited! WSDOT + State Parks Open House Oct. 23 in Brewster

WSDOT and Washington State Parks are partnering on an open house at the Brewster Boys & Girls Club, 601 West Cliff Ave., 3-6pm. Enjoy complimentary hot dogs, chips and drink, and a chance to win State Parks Dollars while you provide input on two planning efforts in one location.

State Parks: How do we make Alta Lake and Bridgeport state parks better? The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is working on long-term plans to improve these two parks. Input from the community this past summer has led to ideas for future growth. State Parks staff would like to hear from you about day-use, camping, parking, natural areas, visitor services and other topics. More information: http://bit.ly/AltaBridgeport

WSDOT: What do you think about walking, bicycling and rolling to get where you want to go in Brewster and beyond? Washington State Department of Transportation staff want you to help shape the state plan and future projects. Let us know what enables or prevents you from walking, biking or rolling. Where/how should improvements be prioritized in the future? http://bit.ly/WSDOT-2019-ATP

Kids welcome! We'll have activities for them too.

This event is held in a location accessible to people with disabilities. If specific accommodations are required to attend and participate, please make advance arrangements by calling (360) 902-8671, (509) 923-2473 or the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service (800) 833-6388.

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Active Transportation Plan Needs Your Voice

We're getting in touch with partners for events around the state that enable people to come together around multiple topics like our open house with State Parks (above). 

If you're holding a community event that would make a good place for someone to share information and gather input on active transportation let us know. We'll try to get someone there.

Email WSDOTactive@wsdot.wa.gov with details about your event: location, date/time, format, how many you expect, and what's happening at the event so we can think about how we fit in and check calendars to figure out who can go.

Online open house and virtual events coming soon!

Bookmark the ATP information page at http://bit.ly/WSDOT-2019-ATP. We'll be linking to a new online open house and schedule of virtual events: webinars you can log onto where we'll present information and you can ask questions and comment. You'll be able to view archived versions of these if you can't log on in real time, and fill out a questionnaire with your input.

We'll update the online open house regularly with links to real live in-person events too. 

Want a webinar at your meeting?

If you're holding a meeting and want a presentation about the ATP, email WSDOTactive@wsdot.wa.gov. Let us know date, time, and how long we'd be able to present.

We'll participate in as many of these as we can so we're coming to you (without adding vehicle miles to the state system) and you don't have to add another meeting to your already busy calendars.

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Complete Streets Leadership Academy Applications due Oct. 27

Three communities in Washington state will be selected for a new technical assistance opportunity from Smart Growth America, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Transportation Improvement Board, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and the Washington State Department of Health. 

The Complete Streets Leadership Academy will bring together three eligible jurisdictions for a series of three in-person workshops, culminating in an on-the-ground demonstration project. The Academy will build the skills necessary to overcome barriers to Complete Streets implementation, conduct and evaluate tactical urbanism projects, engage the community, and collaborate more effectively across agencies and departments.

Applications: Open on September 19 and close October 27.

Contact for more information: Heather Zaccaro, hzaccaro@smartgrowthamerica.org.

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Safe Routes to School Curriculum Grant Applications Due Oct. 31

In each Safe Routes to School grant cycle, as approved by the state legislate the WSDOT Active Transportation Division prioritizes funding for a walk/bike safety education program. Schools apply through the IGrant program administered by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

In each two-year cycle at least 25 schools receive support for bicycle and pedestrian safety education to students in grades 6–8. The grant provides up to $30,000 per district to purchase a utility trailer for bike storage and transport, fleet of bicycles, two-day training, curriculum, educational materials, teacher substitutes (for two-day training), and technical support. 

OSPI now accepting applications due Oct. 31, 2019.

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State Recruiting Members to Serve on the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board

Apply by Nov. 1

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office is recruiting for two new members for its Recreation and Conservation Funding Board, which awards more than $140 million in grants in a two-year budget cycle to improve parks, trails, boating amenities and access to shorelines. It also awards grants to conserve working lands, such as farms and forests, and to protect pristine wildlife and natural areas.

Members are reimbursed for travel expenses and receive a small stipend for attending meetings. To apply, submit an electronic application via the Governor’s Boards and Commissions Web site.

Attach a resume and a letter of interest and submit your application by November 1, 2019. 

More information

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FHWA Systemic Safety Analysis Workshops in November

This four-hour course offered by WSDOT Local Programs Division leads practitioners through the systemic safety analysis process presented in the FHWA Systemic Safety Project Selection Too. The workshop is beneficial for agencies looking to develop Local Road Safety Plans or advance systemic safety projects through the City or County Safety Programs. (See the Trainings list below for workshops on Local Road Safety Plans, required to be eligible for HSIP funding).

Dates/locations: Nov. 19, Vancouver; Nov. 20, DuPont; Nov. 21, Pasco

Registration

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WSDOT Design Manual highlighted by FHWA for Pedestrian Safety

With reference to our Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian work, FHWA noted in the fall issue of their Safety Compass newsletter, “The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Design Manual emerged as being one of the strongest pedestrian-safety State DOT design manuals reviewed because of its emphasis on pedestrian safety countermeasures. The WSDOT Design Manual provides flexible and context-sensitive design policies and guidance that provide engineers the tools they need to design for multimodal needs and safety.”

Links to the WSDOT Design Manual and other resources

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Wheel into the Ferries Video

Washington State Ferries is making a new how-to video for customers looking to bike aboard a state ferry. The short video will be both instructional and promotional, encouraging more passengers to consider taking their bike when traveling across the Puget Sound.

As part of the video, WSF would love to include footage from customers who already know all about how great it is to ride aboard. Whether it be getting on the ferry, hanging out in the galley in your gear, or even locking up your bike once you’re aboard, we want footage of it all and everything in between. If you’re looking for specific inspiration, any video of yourself or friends up on the sundeck with your bike gear would make a for a fantastic shot. The only request is that all videos be shot horizontal (landscape).

Thousands of people bike aboard state ferries every day. Show off how easy and fun it is to roll two wheels (or three) aboard, where there's always room for one more bike! Submit clips by posting to Twitter and tagging @wsferries. Clips smaller than 20MB can also be emailed to allenmq@wsdot.wa.gov.

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Mode-Neutral Usage: The "For Whom" Test

We occasionally hear someone in a meeting refer to “doing less” when what they really mean is “doing something different”. If you ask a few clarifying questions you learn that what they think is happening is that you’re doing “less” for people in motor vehicles.

First assumption they’re making: That changing it automatically makes it worse for drivers. A road reconfiguration, signal timing change, more visible crossings that enable drivers to see people crossing and stop in time—any and all of these changes can make it work better for everyone. So that assumption of “less” for people driving isn’t necessarily accurate.

Second assumption they’re making that they may not even recognize: That the only ones who count in the analysis are the ones inside the vehicles. Remember Intro to Algebra? An equation has two sides, not just one.

A useful test for your modal reflexes: When you say a particular activity or project is going to have some effect, at the end ask yourself, “For whom?” (or “Who for?” if you’d rather; we're not your English composition teacher).

  • If you say the wait times will decrease, for whom will they decrease?
  • If you say the street will be “improved”, for whom will it improve? (Hint: "Change" is a neutral word.)
  • If you say this change will reduce crash exposure, for whom will this exposure be reduced? Will anyone's exposure be increased?
  • If you say this change will increase access to a destination, for whom will access be increased? Will anyone's access be decreased?

Many of the professionals involved in transportation have a code of ethics that includes the requirement to provide complete and relevant information. To do so we need to recognize and address gaps in our analysis.

"For whom" answers need to include "with these effects on people using all modes"; otherwise you're likely just doing an analysis for the movements of people in motor vehicles. The “For Whom” test can help you identify modal gaps in your thought process.

Try this on your next plan or project. Pro tip: If you don’t know the answer you’re not done with the analysis needed for an integrated multimodal transportation system.

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FIVE+ THINGS TO READ

Bringing the Disability Community Into Vision Zero: "Engineers, planners, and government officials must get comfortable speaking about accessibility, especially about connecting the dots between the shared interests of people with and without disabilities and the accessibility improvements (that) benefit everyone."

A bike is like 'a rolling walking stick': "In almost every fight over bike lanes, there will be those who fight to keep the status quo, to keep all those parking spaces, those who never ask the older or disabled people what they want or need. Perhaps it's time they did ask. They might be surprised by the answers."

Collision course: why are cars killing more and more pedestrians?: "We talk a great deal about how cars congest our cities and pollute the atmosphere. We talk less about how they keep killing and maiming people simply trying to get from A to B on two feet."

Active Transportation Transforms America: The Case for Increased Public Investment in Walking and Biking: "Just as roads take a car from one’s driveway to a local street, then to an arterial street, and eventually onto the highway, which connects to more arterial and local streets, the opportunity exists to build a connected network of active transportation facilities that will allow anybody to make that 20-minute trip by walking or biking."

Why the Bus Got So Bad, and How to Save It: "We need a Green New Deal for sidewalks. We think of sidewalks as something that’s so parochial, but they’re something that can equalize the transportation experience for people, and they shouldn't be relegated to the side."

Equity in the Commons: "Before we can set equity as the foundation and intention of our public space work, we need to first be clear on what we mean by 'equity.' ...(PolicyLink defines equity as) 'just and fair inclusion into a society in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. Unlocking the promise of the nation by unleashing the promise in us all.'”

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TRAININGS, CONFERENCES, WEBINARS

We add new trainings as we find them so the list changes with every issue. The National Center for Biking and Walking maintains a searchable international calendar of conferences, training and events. Some of these offer continuing education credits. All times are shown in Pacific time zone. 

All webinars listed are FREE unless a price is noted. All items are webinars unless a location is noted.

October

November

Know of an upcoming webinar, conference, or other professional development opportunity? Send details to barb.chamberlain@wsdot.wa.gov.

GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

AWARDS, COMPETITIONS AND KUDOS

  • KUDOS to Central Washington University for receiving an Honorable Mention from the League of American Bicyclists as a Bicycle Friendly University. Get your campus started preparing for the next round of applications due Aug. 25, 2020.
  • Did your community pass a Complete Streets policy in 2019? Send them to info@completestreets.org to be included in the National Complete Streets Coalition annual grading process.
  • America Walks seeks suggestions for inspiring women who promote walking and walk-friendly, accessible communities. Email info@americawalks.org with your suggestions for women to profile.
  • Oct. 20: Deadline for cities/agencies to apply for Smart Cities Collaborative. 
  • Nov. 1: Deadline to submit trails for designation as National Recreation Trails.
  • Dec. 15: Deadline for entries in National Recreation Trail photo contest.
  • Feb. 5: Deadline for next round of Bicycle Friendly Communities applications.
  • Feb. 20: Deadline for next round of Bicycle Friendly Business applications.

PRESENT AND PARTICIPATE

Opportunities to submit for presentation at conferences; committees and work groups seeking participants

  • Oct. 25: Submission deadline for presentations at the 2020 Green Transportation Summit & Expo, Tacoma, April 15-17
  • Nov. 15: Call for papers deadline for 2020 World Symposium on Transport and Land Use Research, Portland, OR July 13-16, 2020.
  • Dec. 1: Deadline to submit proposals to speak at the 2020 Washington Walk, Bike, Roll Summit April 26-27 in Spokane.
  • Community Transportation Association of the Northwest seeks presentations for their annual conference March 11-13, 2020, in Hood River. Submit proposals to executive director Angie Coulter, angie@ctanw.org.
  • Moses Lake: Trails Planning Team welcomes new members.

PLANNING AND PROJECTS

Have an upcoming project, open house, public comment opportunity? Construction projects people should know about as they relate to biking/walking? Compliments on a project? Send to barb.chamberlain@wsdot.wa.gov

RESEARCH AND RESOURCES

SURVEYS AND DATA COLLECTION

  • Rural Advisory Bike Lanes Project: Seeking examples of rural low-volume roads with speeds above 35 MPH/60 kph. Send examples to Michael Williams at bikepedx@gmail.com.
  • Safe Routes to School Census: The only catalog of basic information about SRTS programs around the US, and it's only as good as the information you share about your program.
  • ITE Pedestrian Demand Survey: On behalf of the ITE Bicycle & Pedestrian Standing Committee, asks for information about crossings where before and after counts have been performed. Respondents will receive summary or link to completed results. Google account required to complete survey; for email option contact Mike Hendrix at mike.hendrix@perteet.com.
  • Does your city/town have bicycle traffic signals? Add to the crowdsourced tracking spreadsheet of cities in North America

If you read this far, thank you! You're finding something of value here and you know someone else who should receive this kind of news and learn what's happening with the state Active Transportation Plan. Forward WSDOT Walk and Roll to others and share the subscription link on social media (tag it #WSDOTactive).