Attachment 2 for March 20, 2001 meeting of CATS' Bicycle and Pedestrian Issues Task Force

To: Bike/ped task force
From: Tom Murtha
Date: March 7, 2001
Subject: Walkable Communities
CATS is one of six MPOs across the country that were selected to participate in the pilot Walkable Communities Grant Program. This program is a joint venture with the Federal Highway Administration (through the University of North Carolina Highway and Safety Research Center) and Walkable Communities, Inc. It provides training for MPO staff and technical assistance for conducting pedestrian planning workshops in eight communities.
I recently attended the three-day Walkable Communities Training, which included visits to several towns that have made great strides in calming traffic, improving pedestrian safety, revitalizing main streets and enhancing overall quality of life. The training also addressed strategies for organizing and leading community workshops that help bring together stakeholders from a variety of perspectives to discover a common vision and develop an action plan.
These workshops typically include an overview (including a slideshow) of strategies that have worked in other areas, a short background presentation by someone from the community, a walking tour of areas of concern in the community, and a discussion of possible strategies. For example, the recent training included a workshop in a community concerned about traffic circulation in front of and behind an elementary school. Participants, including the mayor, walked around and observed the intersections, identifying problems and brainstorming possible solutions which were later sketched on paper. The instructors provided advice on issues such as low-cost infrastructure solutions, funding, and developing broad-based support for pedestrian improvements.
Within the next year, two Walkable Communities instructors will visit our region for a week to lead half-day workshops in eight communities. The experiences in these communities will provide the foundation for future planning efforts.
CATS is seeking input into the attached draft of selection criteria.

March 20 Bicycle/Pedestrian Task Force

Discussion of Draft Community Selection Criteria
for Hosting a Walkable Communities Workshop
For this first round of workshops, communities should be selected based on the following criteria:

Community Criteria

Problem Identification
A specific problem is identified that can be addressed through improvements to the pedestrian environment.

Policy Commitment
The community has demonstrated citizen interest and political commitment to addressing walkability issues.

Staffing Commitment
A qualified local contact is identified who will be responsible for helping organize the workshop.

Regional Criteria

Diversity
The communities should, taken together, reflect the region's demographic, geographic and socio-economic diversity.

Consistency
The problems being addressed through this exercise should support the objectives of the 2020 RTP and/or be of use to the 2030 RTP development process.