November 7, 2009
Overview

Introduce Leading Partners

About Safe and Walkable Hillside

What makes a neighborhood safe and “walkable?”
 Problems
 Solutions

How to go about making changes to your neighborhood
Fit City Duluth
Fit City Duluth is a
public/private community
initiative designed to
change the social culture
and physical environment
of Duluth to encourage
active, healthy lifestyles.
SHIP
(Statewide Health Improvement Program)
Focus on Active Communities is 1 of SHIP’s 6 initiatives to improve health
Goal:
Implement policies and practices that create active communities by
increasing opportunities for non-motorized transportation (walking and
biking) and access to community recreation facilities.
SHIP Active Community Coordinator
Jim Skoog, Saint Louis County Department of Public Health & Human Services
NHS Duluth
(Neighborhood Housing Services of Duluth)
•
Homebuyer Education &
Counseling
•
Low Interest Home Rehab
Loans
•
Energy Efficiency Audits &
Loans
•
Community Organizing
•
Crime Prevention
Safe and Walkable Hillside
Goal:
To improve the walkability and bikability of
both Central Hillside and East Hillside
• Creating connections to destinations
• Focus especially on children and the elderly
08 / 80 Rule
In St. Louis County, Minnesota…
• 19.6% of the population is younger than 18
• 15.7% of the population is 65 or older
This represents over one-third of our county’s
residents!
8
Also…
17.0% of the population in St. Louis County
(older than 5 years) has a disability
80
SOURCE:
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/27/27137.html
Examples
Before and After
Bridgeport Way, Tacoma, Washington
BEFORE
Examples
Before and After
Bridgeport Way, Tacoma, Washington
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Wider is not always Better
SHOPPING
CENTERS
HOMES
IMPERMEABLE
BORDER
“Every freeway is a political statement.”
- Lewis Mumford
But wait a minute…
We’re not here to talk about freeways
We’re here to talk about…
SAFETY!
“Over the last 80 years we have been making cities much more
for cars’ mobility than for children’s happiness.”
Enrique Penalosa, former Mayor, Bogota, CO
A pedestrian hit at 40 mph has an 85% chance of being killed.
At 30 mph the likelihood of death is 45%
At 20 mph the fatality rate is only 5%
(FHWA, Pedestrian Facilities Users Guide, 2002)
The Active Living 5 Ps
Approach
Policy Change
Physical
Activity
Physical Projects
Preparation
Programs
Promotion
?
Chronic
disease
Congestion,
pollution
Local
economies
Safe streets
Livable
communities
Here’s our opportunity…
What makes a
Safe and
Walkable
neighborhood?
Places to Gather
We are working towards this in
Duluth…
A new look at the school bus
Some communities have adopted a Walking or Biking
School Bus to keep children active in a safe environment.
What does it take to be a
walkable community?
Need to address the needs of our specific community with the five Ps:
•
•
•
•
•
Preparing
Programming
Promotion
Policy
Physical Projects
Let’s Go For A Walk!