Walk and Roll: WSDOT Active Transportation July 2023

Washington State Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 07/31/2023 10:19 AM PDT

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NEWS FROM WSDOT AND PARTNERS

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

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Commerce Requests Information re: Intent to Apply for Landmark Federal Funding:

Washington State Dept. of Commerce is seeking information from local communities and other entities in the state to inform decisions on $5 million available to secure landmark federal funding (billions of dollars available through CHIPS and Science Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and Inflation Reduction Act). High level details about planned applications to programs funded under these historic federal investment programs is needed to help Commerce make fair and informed decisions about how to allocate $5 million in state funds over the next two years intended to secure federal investments in projects throughout Washington State.

Commerce plans to award $25,000 to $500,000 to eligible organizations pursuing federal investments over the next two years through a competitive process to be announced later.

Deadline 5pm July 31, 2023

Complete the online Request for Information form (Smartsheet).

Questions? Please email  icap@commerce.wa.gov

Further info on the various programs created by the CHIPS, IIJA and IRA can be found in the following:


Summer Interns at WSDOT Active Transportation Division, Part 2 

For this issue, we say thank you and best wishes to our AT Division interns while introducing Brooke Nelson, who joined WSDOT in June. Brooke approaches her work from her background in violence prevention and youth advocacy. She recently received her Master of Social Work with a focus in community centered practice. She is excited to be a part of a team that is shifting the culture to prioritize equitable investment in active transportation. Brooke has been working on the Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Program, as well as the designing of the E-bike Incentives and Lending Libraries project.

Bicycling has been Brooke’s site of personal liberation and her (human powered) vehicle for connection with her community. From her experience organizing a bike initiative with a survivor of domestic violence, coordinating an adaptive cycling center, and starting a youth apprenticeship program for riders with the Major Taylor Project, she has seen and felt how bikes can be used as a tool for healing, joy, and justice. She has also experienced how systematic disinvestment in active transportation infrastructure impacts our safety and sense of belonging. She is committed to working toward mobility justice and continuing to find joy in riding her bike.

After her time with WSDOT, Brooke will be coordinating the Seattle Public Schools Safe Routes to Schools program, funded in part by WSDOT, and is looking forward to riding alongside Seattle youth.

Brooke finishes her internship this week with the start of her new position and Andrew Useche, whom we profiled last issue, will be continuing this next month. We thank both of our interns so much for their service with us.

FIVE+ THINGS TO READ/WATCH/HEAR

Meanwhile, Americans responded in a national poll (Community & Transportation Preferences Survey - National Association of Realtors) that they prefer communities that are walkable, defined as having nearby commercial destinations or parks and sidewalks/places to walk.

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.

August

September

Save-the-Date

GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Keep track of all of the USDOT’s discretionary funding opportunities at the DOT Discretionary Grants Dashboard.

Have any funding opportunities people should know about? Send to WSDOTActive@wsdot.wa.gov

AWARDS, COMPETITIONS, AND KUDOS

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 WSDOTActive@wsdot.wa.gov

PRESENT, PUBLISH, PARTICIPATE

  • TRB Annual Meeting (January 2024) papers. Deadline August 1. (Transportation Research Board) Call titles include Economics of Bicycles and Micromobility; Equity in Bicycle Transportation Research; and Pedestrian and Bicycle Data Research. Meeting to be held January 7 - 11, 2024, Washington, DC.
  • October 2-8, 2023: National Week Without Driving (Disability Mobility Initiative, partnership of America Walks and Disability Rights Washington)

RESEARCH AND RESOURCES

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