Walk and Roll: WSDOT Active Transportation Update

Washington State Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 02/22/2022 12:44 PM PST

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ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NEWS FROM WSDOT AND PARTNERS

Connectivity -- Safety -- Opportunity -- Participation -- Partnership

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Safe Routes to School and Pedestrian/Bicyclist Programs 2022

Technical Assistance Available; Call for Projects Preliminary Schedule

WSDOT Active Transportation Division staff are preparing for the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) and Pedestrian/Bicyclist Program (PBP) 2022 call for projects, scheduled for release March 15.

In 2021 the legislature directed WSDOT to recommend changes to increase utilization of the programs by a greater diversity of jurisdictions. WSDOT outlined a number of changes in its December 2021 report, some of which can be implemented within existing capacity and others requiring additional capacity and/or funding.

Following up on the recommendations in that report, staff are now conducting outreach to local agencies and tribes that have not had funding from the two programs in the past. Specific outreach communities were chosen based on equity need (they serve a relatively high percentage of the population who are low income, people of color, or have a disability), a history of past fatal or serious injury crashes, and population size. In addition to doing this targeted outreach, staff welcome general interest in the two programs and invite all public agencies that would like technical assistance in advance of the call for projects opening up to contact either Charlotte Claybrooke for the SRTS program or Brian Wood for the PBP program.

Following the release of the call for projects, WSDOT will hold informational webinars and design training workshops intended to help potential applicants propose effective, high-quality projects. Dates of those webinars will be shared through this e-mail and at the program pages for SRTS and PBP.

Preliminary Schedule (dates to be finalized and included in the call for projects release):

February and early March - Outreach and technical assistance to local agencies and Tribes

  • March 15 – Call for projects released
  • March dates TBD - Informational webinars
  • April dates TBD– Design training workshops
  • May 30, 2022 – PBP applications due
  • June 6, 2022 – SRTS applications due
  • June-December – Applications evaluated, ranked, and submitted to legislature
  • 2023 legislative session  – Funding level set by legislature that determines total number of projects awarded
  • June 2023 – Award letters sent

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2022 Legislative Session: Bills related to active transportation

You can search for bill copies, detailed legislative reports, and other information at the legislature's bill information page. Policy bills introduced so far that have some bearing on active transportation include:

  • HB 1607 concerning the safe routes to schools program. 
  • HB 1915 authorizing the use of automated traffic safety cameras in hospital and city park speed zones. 
  • HB 1969 authorizing the limited use of automated traffic safety cameras for speed violations outside of school speed zones.
  • SB 5707 extending additional uses for automated traffic safety cameras for traffic congestion reduction and increased safety. 
  • SB 5622 modifying the operation of motorcycles on roadways laned for traffic.
  • SB 5687 concerning certain traffic safety improvements. 
  • SB 5903 providing multimodal transportation options at drive-up services.
  • HB 1786/SB 5689: Transportation appropriations bills proposed by Gov. Inslee for the 2022 supplemental budget. OFM page includes links to all appropriations bills and supporting documentation.
  • HB 1781/SB 5651: Capital budget appropriation bills proposed by Gov. Inslee. 
  • ESSB 5974/HB2119: Addressing transportation resources.
  • SB5975/HB2118: Concerning additive transportation funding and appropriations. Draft substitute bill available in the budget documents system: PSSB 5975
  • SB5689/HB1786: Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium. Draft substitute bills are available in the budget documents system: PSSB 5689 and PSHB1786
  • Senate Supplemental Transportation Budget proposals: Links to draft substitute bills and supporting detail documents referenced in the bill.
  • House Supplemental Transportation Budget proposals: Links to draft substitute bills and supporting detail documents referenced in the bill.

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Safe, Healthy, Active Streets Program Continues

WSDOT established the Safe, Healthy, Active Streets program in 2020 in response to requests from local communities as they dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on local economies and the need for safe social distancing. This program continues to be available to places that want to apply for a temporary reallocation of space on the state route that passes through their downtown or business district.

Places that have participated so far include Blaine in Whatcom County; Bingen, Cathlamet, and White Salmon in southwest Washington; and Pullman and Colville in eastern Washington. Some are now meeting with staff in their WSDOT region office to discuss lessons learned and consider how and whether to try it again as we head into the spring and summer months.

More information from our 2020 blog post and the program overview (PDF).

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WSDOT Local Technical Assistance Program Needs Your Input

The WSDOT Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP Center) survey on your training and technical assistance needs asks for your input on specific training courses and topics. Your input helps ensure the WSDOT LTAP Center meets the needs of our local agencies.

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WSDOT Safe System Approach Work Highlighted in FHWA Magazine

In 2000, inspired by examples from Sweden, the Netherlands, and Australia, Washington became the first state in the nation to set the aspirational goal of zero traffic deaths. WSDOT's efforts to advance the Safe System Approach have recently highlighted in an article in the Winter 2022 edition of Public Roads, the FHWA magazine.

The article incorporates analysis from the new State Active Transportation Plan, particularly its emphasis on equity analysis, speed management, and crossing safety.

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AASHTO Pedestrian Guide Published

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has released the 2nd edition of the Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities. It is available for purchase on the AASHTO website.

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Washington's a Great Place to Recreate

The Recreation and Conservation Office is updating the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Plan and Statewide Trails Plan. You're invited to share your favorite spots for recreation on an interactive map. You can go to the map to share a story and a photo and learn more about the update process on the web page.

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Streets for Kids Leadership Accelerator: Apply by March 13

The Global Designing Cities Initiative is launching a Streets for Kids Leadership Accelerator. They'll select 60 Streets for Kids champions from 20 cities around the globe and connect them through an eight-month virtual leadership program. The program is designed to support these changemakers in catalyzing projects that promote safer, more playful streets in their cities.

Beyond building a global cohort of Streets for Kids leaders, the program is paired with technical assistance grants of up to $20,000 USD for a select subset of city teams, to support local projects. These funds will be combined with GDCI staff technical assistance and support for an additional year.

Applicants must apply in city teams of three, with applications due on March 13!

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Wondering What's in the New Federal Infrastructure Law? Infrastructure School, Guidebook, Fact Sheets

Last month, the White House released a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law guidebook to provide information so you know what to apply for, who to contact, and how to get ready to rebuild. This guidebook is a roadmap to the funding available under the law, as well as an explanatory document that shows direct federal spending at the program level. The administration will continue to update this resource online at Build.gov. 

To help partners better understand the programs within the guidebook, Infrastructure School, a series of twelve webinars, will provide an in-depth look into the programs contained within each of the twelve major chapters in the guidebook. Two have already passed; links for upcoming February sessions below, links for March will be available later. All are Tuesday or Thursday, 1-2pm PT.

Registration links for the February sessions are below and registration links for the March sessions will be available later this month.

Coming in March:

  • Thursday, March 3: Roads, Bridges and Major Projects
  • Tuesday, March 8: Safety
  • Thursday, March 10: Clean Energy and Power
  • Tuesday, March 15: Water
  • Thursday, March 17: Resilience
  • Tuesday, March 22: Environmental Remediation
  • Thursday, March 24: Broadband

FHWA has also created fact sheets on key information in the highway provisions by program and by state.

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Washington Safe Routes to School Network Statewide Networking Session March 24

Connect with other people around the state and learn about helpful resources and opportunities.

Topic: Crossing Guard Program Support
When: March 24, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Registration for Zoom

We will discuss creative ways to recruit, fund, and retain crossing guards; learn about crossing guard and student patrol appreciation programs; and troubleshoot crossing guard support and resource needs.

WA SRTS Network aims to bring together people in Washington state with the common goal to increase student participation and safety in walking, rolling, or taking a bus to school. By sharing best practices, innovative ideas, and researched resources, we work to improve student safety and health, and to create more equitable and environmentally sustainable communities. Visit the WA SRTS Network website to learn more, join the network, and sign up for the monthly newsletter.

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FIVE+ THINGS TO READ (or watch/listen to)

What's Keeping Older Drivers Driving? Bad Urban Design: "There are some interesting ancillary benefits that come from designing our communities so that the aging can walk or bike instead of drive: everyone of all ages can. But the main point remains that instead of trying to figure out how to keep our seniors driving longer, we should figure out how to fix our cities so they don't have to drive at all."

Rising U.S. Crash Deaths Are No Accident: “Accidents happen when errors occur under dangerous conditions, but you can create conditions that anticipate errors and make those mistakes less of a life-or-death equation.... Or you can focus all your energy on errors, and let the same accidents happen again and again.”

How the Dutch Delivered a Traffic Safety Revolution: "in the U.S. we still are fixated on the idea that it is largely the responsibility of the users — be it pedestrians, cyclists, or operators of vehicles — to keep themselves safe. We conveniently ignore the fact that it is the environment that we have built that has proven to be so deadly for people, even when they exercise due caution."

Are Speed Cameras Racist? New analysis shows that camera placement is equitable — but road designs aren't. "High amounts of speeding violations should immediately indicate an area that DOT needs to prioritize for street safety investments. We believe that automated enforcement will help us achieve Vision Zero, but cannot be a substitute for street safety redesigns that will permanently reduce speeding and prevent traffic violence."

Bicycles and public transport: The perfect match: "Yet planning and designing cities where mass transit and cycling work in tandem can provide additional options to get around and address the shortcomings of each separate mode: commuters can ride public transport to travel long distances easily, while relying on bicycles when they need extra flexibility, or to cover the first/last mile to and from transit stations." 

This e-bike delivery experiment reduced CO2 emissions by 30% per package: "Along with reducing emissions, using e-bikes and the microhub halved the number of miles traveled per package compared to traditional truck routes, which helped to reduce congestion."

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TRAININGS, CONFERENCES, WEBINARS

We add new trainings as we find them so the list changes with every issue. 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.

February

March

April

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GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

  • AARP Community Challenge: Applications due March 22 by 2pm (PT)
  • City of Seattle is accepting applications for Safe Routes to School mini-grants on a rolling basis.
  • USDOT Applicant Toolkit for Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative intended to help communities understand and apply for discretionary grants, some of which may be able to fund active transportation improvements.
  • USDOT TIFIA Rural Project Initiative loans can be used to construct pedestrian/bicyclist infrastructure
  • League Certified Instructor Equity Scholarship Program: Offers scholarships to people of color interested in teaching bike education courses in underserved communities. 
  • Have any funding opportunities people should know about? Send to barb.chamberlain@wsdot.wa.gov

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AWARDS, COMPETITIONS, AND KUDOS

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PLANNING AND PROJECTS

  • State Vehicle Miles Traveled Reduction Strategy: Article with link to survey for cities, counties, regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) 
  • Bainbridge Ferry terminal online open house: Open for comment until March 3.
  • Puget Sound Regional Council Regional Transportation Plan: Draft open for comment through Feb. 28.
  • Human Services Transportation Plan: Draft open for comment through March 7.
  • Highway System Plan update: Online open house, opinion poll
  • Spokane: Friends of the Centennial Trail maintains a page tracking projects on the trail.
  • Spokane: Division Connects study on the Division Street corridor
  • Spokane: Children of the Sun Trail planning efforts for the section of the NSC Children of the Sun Trail south of the Spokane River to the I 90 vicinity. 
  • Looking for a WSDOT project to check on status, get email updates, attend an open house? Start here.

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

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PRESENT, PUBLISH, PARTICIPATE

  • Deadline March 31, 2022: Submit proposal to present a panel, workshop, or poster at the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals Conference to be held Aug. 22-24, 2022, in Minneapolis.
  • Deadline April 30, 2022: Transportation Research Part D has a Call for Papers on Equitable Active Transportation.
  • Deadline May 13, 2022: Apply to be a teacher-mentor or high school participant in the Youth Heritage Project FREE overnight summer program organized by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

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RESEARCH AND RESOURCES

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SURVEYS AND DATA COLLECTION

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