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E-Headlines - Features
ROCHESTER, MINN. (2008) – A new initiative aimed at encouraging walking and exploring in Rochester, Minn. has been launched by a group of community partners. Five suggested routes for scenic walks in Rochester were developed by the City of Rochester, the Rochester Convention & Visitors Bureau, Steps to a Healthier Rochester, the Rochester Downtown Alliance, RNeighbors (Rochester’s Neighborhood Resource Center), and the History Center of Olmsted County. The route map cards, with suggested points of interest and historic significance, are available at the Visitor Kiosks in the Mayo Civic Center and University Square. Maps may also be printed from the Web site www.WalkRochester.com. “Rochester is continually applauded for its walkability and pedestrian amenities, whether by visitors and convention planners or national rankings such as Prevention Magazine’s 2008 ‘Top 100 Walking Cities in the U.S.’,” said Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede. “To take this unique advantage and amenity to the next level, the City and its collaborators have made it our mission to get residents and visitors out walking through some of our finest neighborhoods. Walking is cheap; it’s good for the environment and the economy, it engages people in the neighborhoods and it helps keep our residents healthy. It is our goal for Rochester to be known as the state’s most walkable city.” The March 2008 Prevention Magazine list, which was compiled in partnership with the American Podiatric Medical Association, listed Rochester as Minnesota’s second walking city, behind St. Paul. The cities were ranked based on their percentage of residents who walk to work and for exercise, prevalence of public transportation usage, dense clusters of shopping, dining and entertainment options, and crime rates. Rochester’s extensive trail system, below and above-ground walkway systems and health-focused society have helped support a strong walking community, which Mayor Brede has celebrated with his summer lunchtime “Walking Wednesdays.” “With ‘green’ and ‘eco-friendly’ travel trends on the rise, visitors to our city will enjoy exploring our unique neighborhoods and history with the new maps,” said Brad Jones, executive director of the Rochester Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Promoting walkability will certainly help our staff sell Rochester as a great place to visit or hold a meeting, while encouraging our residents to sustain our local environment.” Walkable Rochester/Add One In order to research the new “Walk Rochester” routes, the Rochester Convention & Visitors Bureau, Steps to a Healthier Rochester, RNeighbors and the History Center of Olmsted County worked together to choose paths that would combine attractions, scenic views and historic points of interest. “Walking is essential for healthy and vital neighborhoods,” said Rene Lafflam, executive director of RNeighbors. “This card series is one step towards encouraging physical activity, as well as neighborhood pride. It was a challenge to narrow all the great places to walk down to five routes, but this partnership chose a balanced mixture of sights that highlight just a few of the positive destinations in Rochester’s downtown core neighborhoods.” The History Center of Olmsted County helped identify historic and architectural stops on each of the routes. Alan Calavano of the History Center and Jeff Ellerbusch of the Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department played important roles as they used their extensive knowledge to assist the group in selecting final points for the map. Donna Bussell, Mayor Brede’s chief associate, was recruited to be the official route tester. “Many people know that I’m an avid walker, so I think I was the natural choice to try out the new walks,” said Bussell, who carpools with her husband and arrives at work an hour early each day, which gives her time for 30 minute walks through downtown. At lunchtime, Bussell also regularly strolls by the river. “I used to walk some of the routes when I first came to Rochester years ago and worked at St. Mary’s with no vehicle. It was a stroll down memory lane, passing by some of the buildings I used to live in and stores I would frequent. I was excited to see all the upgrades and renovations. I think locals would get a kick out of visiting some of the areas they may not have been in some time.” Whether looking to shed a few pounds, get a change of scenery, take in history and architecture, or help sustain Rochester’s environment and economy, walking the routes at www.WalkRochester.com is a great step in the right direction. The Rochester Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official marketing agency for the city of Rochester, responsible for destination sales and marketing efforts. The RCVB works to encourage conventions, meetings, sporting events and business travel to Rochester and provides travel-planning support for the patients of Mayo Clinic. The Convention & Visitors Bureau offers comprehensive information about lodging, dining, special events, activities and local attractions. PWPB CONFERENCE PLANNERS PURSUE AICP CM CREDITS NCBW staff members who are involved in planning for Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2008 (September 2-5, in Seattle) have recently been besieged with questions concerning certification maintenance (or CM) credits for those who are members of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). The questions center around the topic:"Will courses that award CM credits be available at the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference?" "The answer is 'yes...probably' reports Gary MacFadden, NCBW's conference director. "We have registered the NCBW as a provider of CM credits, and are now sorting the approximately 80 sessions and workshops to determine which should be submitted for approval as CM courses. But we haven't yet successfully pushed any courses through the approval process, so it is premature to say that we will be able to offer CM credits at the conference." MacFadden added that he hopes the NCBW can offer at least 12 CM credit hours during the three-day conference, and even more if possible. "We have identified a number of sessions, including mobile workshops, that would contain very useful information for planners," MacFadden said. "Our challenge now is to get those sessions and workshops through the APA approval process." AICP members looking for sources of CM credits should watch future editions of CenterLines for news of course approvals. If courses receive CM credit, they will be listed on the conference pages at www.bikewalk.org. FREE WEBINAR: MAKING THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL CASE -> According to a Mar. 27th news release, "America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School present the next Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinar. The next topic will be 'Who Cares About Safe Routes? How to Make the Case in Your Community' presented by Kit Keller and Linda Tracy, Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, on April 29, 2008 at 2PM EST. "During the hour-long Webinar, Keller and Tracy will present tips for engaging local professionals and organizations for help in planning and implementing a Safe Routes to School program. Many times these individuals are already engaged in the issues surrounding Safe Routes to School, but simply call it by another name. The Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinars are designed to educate individuals and organizations on topics that will assist with successful outreach efforts." To register for the Webinar, go to: SAFE ROUTES AND KIDS WITH DISABILITIES -> According to the Apr. 1st Safe Routes to School E-News, "The mission of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is to promote substantial health benefits that can be gained from participating in regular physical activity. The slogan of NCPAD is Exercise is for EVERY body, and every person can gain some health benefit from being more physically active. The goals of NCPAD and Safe Routes to School go hand in hand. "SRTS is also interested in helping youth with disabilities become more physically active, and the National Center for Safe Routes to School has recently awarded NCPAD two separate grants to assist them with these efforts. NCPAD will be focusing on evaluation and education, and intend to keep the interests of children with disabilities in each and every planning stage of this important initiative." For more about Safe Routes to School and children with disabilities, go to: HEY READER! TAKE THIS TEST! -> In a recent note, Eric Fredericks of neighborhoods.org wrote, "I'm not sure if you've covered this yet in your newsletter, but, I watched this video earlier today and thought it was impressive. I'm not going to spoil it for you, so here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/2pk29t Make sure you do the test as it asks you to do!" Eric Fredericks Ed. note: After you take the test, spend some time browsing around the neighborhoods.org website: http://tinyurl.com/35b4mz Great stuff! /J MODERATE EXERCISE VS INACTIVITY-RELATED DISEASES -> According to a Feb. 1st MedScape article, "It is generally accepted that regular physical activity and exercise are an important part of a healthy lifestyle and that physical inactivity increases the risk of disease over the long term. The high cost of physical inactivity, even during the short term, is less well known and appreciated. Average daily physical activity levels continue to decline as we permit technological progress to engineer the need for movement out of our environment. For the last few years, we have published a number of observations from Studies Targeting Risk Reduction Interventions through Defined Exercise (STRRIDE), a randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the effects of different amounts and intensities of exercise on risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). "What we did not appreciate at first, but which now has become very evident, was that the so-called control group did not represent a metabolically stable group of individuals. Indeed, the STRRIDE 'control' group experienced metabolic deterioration in numerous CVD risk factors for only a 6-month time. The major purpose of this review is to summarize the findings from STRRIDE with respect to the high cost of continued physical inactivity in sedentary, overweight, or mildly obese men and women. "Also, we address the question, if inactivity is more rapidly detrimental than previously realized, how much exercise is needed to prevent metabolic deterioration? The amount of physical activity and exercise needed for health maintenance has, in the past few years, become quite controversial, with different national organizations disagreeing on a minimal recommended amount of exercise to maintain health and wellness. Despite a number of excellent exercise training studies, uncertainty persists about how much exercise is enough for health benefits and how physical inactivity acts to worsen risk profiles. We address this also with observations from the STRRIDE study..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yqh7tf Bottom line: "As epidemiological research has previously suggested, results from STRRIDE demonstrate that modest increases above this minimal recommendation generally lead to additional significant and widespread improvements in numerous health measures."w FORMER CALIF. GOV. BROWN TALKS WALKABILITY -> According to a Mar. 31st California Progress Report article, "Former (and future?) governor and current Attorney General Jerry Brown was waxing nostalgic about his days in the governor's mansion, driving the famous blue Plymouth ('it lasted 240,000 miles without an engine overhaul -- now that was sustainability'), and suing Ronald Reagan over the governor's mansion. "But the core of his speech dealt with our climate crisis. Brown emphasized his administration's earlier efforts to encourage smart growth, urban density, walking, even trains. And he called for renewed action on this today. He conceptualized it as 'elegant density' -- get people out of their cars, build more walkable communities served by trains and other forms of mass transit, powered by solar energy, to not just deal with global warming, but to encourage a more sustainable California..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/33oscp BIKE-PED BRIDGE LINKS EUGENE, SPRINGFIELD (OR) -> According to a May 31st KVAL TV story, "Local bicycle planners have long tried to forge closer ties between the Eugene and Springfield bike path systems. Standing in the way has been that big slab of concrete called Interstate 5. However in a few months, that barrier will be crossed. The local biking community is all excited and for a good reason. ODOT and construction crews are bridging two towns with a new, one of a kind structure. At first glance, you might think it's a mini-version of the Golden Gate Bridge. Spanning 200 feet across I-5, the yet to be named bike-pedestrian bridge is rapidly taking form. "Eugene's Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Lee Shoemaker, tells KVAL, 'I think the design is great. It'll be a signature transportation facility.' Bicyclists have long been frustrated by the lack of options for traveling between the two towns. This is the $2.5 million solution -- rising between Harlow Road and the I-5 Beltline flyover. It's part of the $72 million I-5 flyover state package. ODOT Regional spokesman, Joe Harwood, says, 'Not only is it going to be a beautiful bridge, but it's going to tie the bike path network of both cities together.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/ypsf8z SMALL RETAIL ELUSIVE IN BOULDER (CO) N'HOODS -> According to a Mar. 31st Daily Camera article, "The trip back to the future in Boulder may turn out to be a long walk. Even in a community aiming to transform into a patchwork of walkable neighborhoods, a return to that nostalgic ideal of mom-and-pop corner grocers and neighborhood-scale retail turns out to be a major challenge. Inviting sidewalks leading to the playground and neighbors hanging out at the local espresso bar are all seen as community positives. But in Boulder, the bag of apples or that replacement light bulb are too often past the outskirts of an easy walk. "'It's nice to be able to walk around your block for social reason or for exercise, but if you're not able to walk for some of your errands, to pick up a bottle of milk and some of your small shopping, you're going to be getting in your car,' says Martha Roskowski, manager of the city's Go Boulder alternative transportation effort. Roskowski calls everyday needs within walking distance 'essential' to achieving the ideal of a walkable, minimal-car lifestyle..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2ta8rj EXERCISE HELPS REJUVENATE HEALTHY SKIN -> An Apr. 1st NAPSI article asks, "Wouldn't it be great if the world could see how youthful and vivacious you are on the inside? Many anti-aging measures involve invasive or expensive procedures, but before you spend your savings going to extremes, here are a few simple ways to mature gracefully without breaking the bank: "--Get Moving. Working out doesn't have to mean working hard. Find a pastime you enjoy and get to it. Whether that means walking on the beach, working in your garden or riding your bicycle, just make sure you're getting about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise -- or activity -- every day. The more you work out, the more energy you'll have to participate in the hobbies you love-and when you feel healthy, it shows from the inside, out..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2chjwd MICHIGAN GROUPS PUSH FOR "COMPLETE STREETS" -> According to a Mar. 28th Capital News Service article, "Walking and biking are healthy forms of transportation that may become more accessible to Michigan residents if the goals of several groups are achieved. Several advocacy groups promote the growth of bike lanes in the state...The Tart Trails in Traverse City is a network that has been growing for years, said Nancy Krupiarz, executive director of the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance. Bike lanes are beginning to connect to routes in town, making area businesses more accessible by bike. "Rich Moeller, executive director of the League of Michigan Bicyclists, said demand to accommodate cyclists is expanding. 'More communities are getting excited about bike lanes because gas prices are rising,' he said. One initiative Moeller says Michigan should adopt is Complete Streets. Under the program already adopted by several states, most recently Illinois, whenever a street is renovated, space must also be provided for cyclists and pedestrians - including bike lanes or wide roads and sidewalks. If communities are made walkable and bike-able, people are likely to get healthier, said James McCurtis Jr. of the Department of Community Health. 'Thirty minutes of exercise a day doesn't necessarily mean going to the gym,' he said. 'You can do it in your own community.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2olpvo "WALKABLE" BELMAR (CO) TO GET 1.7 MW SOLAR ARRAY -> According to an Apr. 1st YourHub.Com article, "Continuum Partners announced March 27 that 8,300 solar panels will be installed on the roof of the parking garages at its Belmar development. Construction is under way and panel installation is expected to begin in August 2008. The 1.7 megawatt array will generate approximately 2.3 million kilowatt hours of clean electrical energy per year. The solar power output represents approximately 5 percent of Belmar's total power consumption. 'This is one of the most ambitious renewable energy projects initiated in Colorado to date,' said John Hereford of Hereford Capital Advisors, a development partner in the project. 'Any time you are first around the track, things can be challenging. Many developers talk about green, but it takes a committed visionary like Continuum to make this type of project a reality.'... "Belmar, located 10 minutes from downtown Denver at South Wadsworth Boulevard and West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood, is a walkable community that includes 70 shops and 14 restaurants, entertainment, cultural activities, homes, offices and ample free parking..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/32nqre More info on Belmar: http://tinyurl.com/2nn5mk OTTAWA (IL) GETS $331K SAFE ROUTES GRANT -> According to an Apr. 1st Times article, "Students at Ottawa Elementary School District's five buildings will have safer routes to school, thanks to more than $300,000 in grant money awarded for improvement of sidewalks. Ottawa's project was one of 112 approved under the Safe Routes to School program. Almost 300 projects were submitted for consideration, according to a press release issued by Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The city will receive $331,691 to be used to pay for construction, replacement and repairs of sidewalks around OES buildings. "Kevin Lindeman, a senior planner with North Central Illinois Council of Governments and an Ottawa resident, coordinated the project, a joint effort between the city and the school district. In order to qualify for the grant, an application was due last spring and the district had to conduct a travel plan to document how students get to and from school. Source: http://tinyurl.com/28vo4q BRING BACK HUMAN-SCALE DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS -> According to an Apr. 1st Virginia Business article, "Until the advent of the auto age about 100 years ago, the imperative for developers was to make people happy. This tradition led to design that was pedestrian-oriented, human-scaled, compact and ornamental. Since that time, however, the focus has changed. Development is now oriented toward making cars, not people, happy. Because car-based design nearly always creates barriers for other types of travel, it creates a growing, self-perpetuating vicious cycle. After decades of using this car-oriented model, we now find that it is nearly impossible to go anywhere without a car. "Yet the terrible tragedy is this: Cars and people have vastly different needs. Cars require wide, high-speed highways and enormous parking lots (preferably in front of buildings). When not in cars, people are repelled by such design. But because of our dependence on autos, almost all of us are compelled to become our own worst enemies, calling for development that makes car travel easier. Unintentionally, then, our quality of life is in a downward spiral of our own making, as the car-oriented world we've advocated has created an increasingly unpleasant community..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2oob3v OAKLAND (CA) WINS $800,000 SAFE ROUTES GRANT -> According to an Apr. 1st East Bay Business Times article, "CalTrans awarded the city of Oakland an $803,700 grant for a 'Safe Routes to School Program' that will implement much-needed safety improvements near several Oakland schools. The grant was awarded to the city's Community and Economic Development Agency and Public Works Agency to do the work. "Oakland received the 16th-largest award out of 139 projects statewide that received funding. The improvements are projected to begin construction by late 2009 and should be completed by mid-2010. Schools that will benefit from the grant include Oakland Technical High School, Castlemont Community of Small Schools, Youth Uprising Center and E.C. Reems Academy. "'This grant allows us to continue our work of wrapping our arms around our children and improving their lives from every perspective,' Mayor Ron Dellums said in a statement. 'On behalf of the city of Oakland, I extend our sincere gratitude to CalTrans for partnering with us to continue to enhance the safety and well-being of our students.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2h967m "WALKABLE" BENTON (AR) TO FOCUS ON SIDEWALKS -> According to a Mar. 31st Arkansas Democrat Gazette article, "Jeremy Johnston and Sandy Vick live in one of the few homes near Ringgold Elementary School that sit beside a stretch of well-kept sidewalk. Like many Benton sidewalks, it's not very long and it abruptly ends, forcing pedestrians to walk in the streets or cut through yards. 'You can see where they've cut a path,' Vick said, pointing to a swath of grass children have trampled on their way to and from school. This scenario is common in the growing Saline County city, prompting city leaders to look into ways to make the area more pedestrian friendly, especially around schools. "This week, residents will be asked to share their ideas for making a stroll safer and more pleasant. Meanwhile, city officials are working to create new sidewalk rules for developers. The city is working with Metroplan, central Arkansas' planning agency, to develop a plan called 'Walkable Benton' with residents' input from a series of workshops. Participants will tell planners where they'd like to see sidewalks, landscaping, crosswalks and other amenities. Other suburban communities in Arkansas are trying to become more pedestrian friendly with help from Metroplan, as well. Cabot in Lonoke County and Mayflower in Faulkner County are also creating 'walkable' plans..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/3yq5sw STUDY: 7 HOURS OF SLEEP PER NIGHT IS JUST RIGHT -> According to an Apr. 1st Daily Mail article, "Seven hours of sleep a night could be the recipe for staying in shape, say researchers. Too much or too little sleep piles on the pounds, and over the years can end in obesity. A study has found that those sleeping for less than seven hours a night gained four pounds in six years. Those sleeping for more gained three pounds over the same period. It is thought that too little or too much sleep causes hormonal changes that may stimulate appetite. 'Both short and long sleeping times predict an increased risk of future body weight and fat gain in adults,' said Jean-Philippe Chaput of Laval University in Quebec, where the study was carried out. "'Furthermore, these results emphasise the need to add sleep duration to the list of environmental factors that are prevalent in our society and that contribute to weight gain and obesity.' One third of UK adults regularly sleep five hours or fewer a night, while the average is a healthy seven. The Canadian study, published today in the medical journal Sleep, looked at 276 adults between 21 and 64 years of age..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yuefmd EXPERT: WALKABLE TOWNS CURB OBESITY, POLLUTION -> According to an Apr. 1st Reuters article, "Designing walkable communities is a cost-effective way to address the growing epidemic of obesity in the United States and cut down on harmful car emissions and pollution, a researcher told the American College of Sports Medicine's 12th annual Health and Fitness Summit in Long Beach, California. The problem, said Jim Sallis from San Diego State University, is that local zoning laws essentially prevent the development of walkable communities. 'Zoning laws today,' he told Reuters Health, 'really enforce the separation of uses; they are designed to move cars as quickly as possible -- which is dangerous to pedestrians.' "Sallis recently took a tour with urban planners in a new development in San Diego designed to be walkable. 'The developers told me they had to get 25 waivers from zoning laws to put in the development. All that kind of paperwork costs the developer time and money so it discourages them from building walkable neighborhoods,' Sallis said. He encourages people to 'be a voice for walkable neighborhoods and parks in your area and help change local zoning laws.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2tjjec
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