Active Living Roadmaps for Active Community Implementation

NCBW/ALRC Roadmap | Roadmaps Resources | Roadmaps Tools and Materials

Every year people in hundreds of communities across the United States come together with the goal of increasing the vitality of their neighborhoods, transforming them into places for active, healthy living.  These resources are for those communities that want to meet their goals of safer streets, complete streets and road networks for all users, increased park attendance, and more kids walking and bicycling. They are for groups seeking to build on prior efforts and for those groups who may be stalled or frustrated in their efforts.  These resources will also orient and help prepare communities just starting their work.  The National Center for Bicycling & Walking invites you and your communities to use these resources as you work toward more walkable, bike-friendly, Active Living environments and a healthier, happier society.

The Roadmaps and its Components

The National Center for Walking & Bicycling, through its Active Living Resource Center (ALRC), conceived of a multi-staged approach to assist community advocates and others to find and use the best available tools and programs to help them make their community more walkable and / or bicycle-friendly.  The ALRC aims to support change in the way we plan, design, and manage our environments to create active, healthy communities, especially for youngsters living in low income, disadvantaged communities. The work of the ALRC is informed by the programs and operations of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking. These projects are funded with a grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and are intended to help reverse childhood obesity.

This multi-staged approach begins with a “library” of community assessment tools, resources, and programs for measuring (or qualifying) pedestrian and bicycle friendly environments -- The NCBW / ALRC Environmental Scan for Active Community Implementation.  From there a “roadmap” to using and implementing the wide range of tools, projects and programs reviewed in The NCBW / ALRC Environmental Scan for Active Community Implementation is explained in The NCBW / ALRC Roadmaps for Active Community Implementation.  Finally, a marketplace of several “micro” roadmaps, apply The NCBW / ALRC Active Community Schools Workbook and Creating a Roadmap for Producing & Implementing a Bicycle Master Plan to specific desired outcomes.  These materials are works-in-progress. We are constantly updating and adding information to The NCBW / ALRC Environmental Scan for Active Community Implementation.  We are always seeking input from users regarding Active Living Resource Roadmap for Active Community Implementation. Lastly we are working to identify community needs for micro roadmaps and respond with additional tools.