National Bicycling and Walking Experts Visit Mobile Area for Healthy Coastal Connections Project

Sharon Roerty and Mark Plotz of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking (NCBW) / Active Living Resource Center (ALRC) visited the coastal region of Alabama on October 19-23^rd, 2009, to lend support to the Healthy Coastal Connections project, which is a five year strategy to reduce childhood obesity and increase bicycling and walking opportunities for all residents of Mobile and Baldwin counties. The Healthy Coastal Connections project is the result of a partnership formed between the Active Living Resource Center and Smart Coast.

Safe Routes to School and Complete Streets was the focus of the visit, the second to the Mobile area for Roerty and Plotz. Roerty, a transportation planner, is a nationally recognized expert in the field of Safe Routes to School, the name given to a national movement to increase the number of children walking and bicycling to school. Recent statistics indicate that fewer than one in ten children travel to school by walking or riding a bicycle.

“For many kids, those extra calories burned during a walk to school and getting into a routine of walking can make all the difference in the world,” said Roerty, noting that the latest research indicates children are getting a surplus of 165 calories per day. Fairhope Middle School hosted a workshop looking at ways to increase the number and the safety of students walking to school. A Smart Walk was coordinated with local groups to gage the interest of the children in participating in the walks to school. The walk was well attended for a first walk. Leaders in the group are considering ways to attract more students and hold more walks.

Complete Streets was the second focus of the ALRC’s visit. Recently Complete Streets policies were approved by both Fairhope and Daphne City Councils that recommends when roads are designed or redesigned the needs of all users (drivers, pedestrians, transit users and bicyclists) be considered. The City of Chickasaw is considering a policy as well.

"About one-third of the population does not drive, so if you are building your roads to only serve cars, then you are probably keeping a lot of people at home who would otherwise be out there participating in your economy," said Plotz, a bicycle commuter in the Washington DC area.

Downtown Mobile Alliance hosted two intersection audits to focus on Complete Streets and pedestrian safety. These major intersections were rated by pedestrians and bicyclists for safety and accessibility. The report and recommendations will be forthcoming from the National Center.