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2013 Walking Summit
2013
Walking Summit
Strengthening Pedestrian
Advocacy in Indy
Joan Cook, Marion County Health Department
2013 Walking Summit
Keep Striding Forward
The story for Indianapolis is still being written. The ground
work has been laid and the Complete Streets Ordinance has
been passed, but advocates must continue to work on issues
that push active transportation forward.
2013 Walking Summit
The Statistics of Inactivity
• Over 65% of the residents of the Indianapolis area are obese
or overweight (Marion County Public Health Department).
• Indiana is now the eighth most obese state in the nation,
according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's
Future 2013 (Trust for America's Health and the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation).
• The American Fitness Index ranks Indianapolis 45th in its
health and fitness status out of the 50 largest metropolitan
areas in the United States.
2013 Walking Summit
The Statistics of Inactivity
•
•When asked, “During the past month did you participate in
any physical activity?”, 25.9% on Indiana adults said “NO!.”
This statistic in all actuality is
probably low because this is
self-reported information.
The Health Department as a
Partner
The Marion County Public Health
Department:
• Works to change the health statistics
of Indianapolis through prevention.
• Understands the impact that policies
such as Complete Streets can have
on health.
• Recognizes that the built
environment influences active living,
and that we have engineered
physical activity out of our daily lives.
2013 Walking Summit
The Value of Prevention
Through Policy Change
• For these reasons, the Marion
County Public Health Department is
the leading funder of Health by
Design.
• Both organizations are committed
to reducing the trend of inactivity in
Marion County.
• Health by Design is leading the way
on policy change to improve the
built environment and integrate
physical activity into the daily life of
Indianapolis residents.
2013 Walking Summit
Earlier Work by Health by
Design on Pedestrian Issues
In 2008, Health by Design was
instrumental in passing a
Sidewalk Ordinance that:
•
Requires all new
development to install
sidewalks
•
Allows for an “opt out” with a
compelling reason (approved
by the development
commission), but the
developer must pay into a
fund that finances other
development work
2013 Walking Summit
Other Early Work By Health By
Design On Pedestrian Issues
2013 Walking Summit
In spring 2008, Indiana University-Purdue University in
Indianapolis capstone students developed a toolkit for
assessing neighborhood walkability, which was piloted
through Health by Design and its partners in 2009.
Bicycling and Transit Advocacy
is Strong in Indianapolis
2013 Walking Summit
In Indianapolis, we have seen the advocacy around biking
take off and develop a life of it’s own.
Additionally, advocacy for more and better transit is being
championed through the grassroots efforts of the Indiana
Citizens’ Alliance for Transit (another initiative of Health
by Design).
A Need to Build an Advocacy
Network for Pedestrians
Despite this good work, Health by
Design recognized the need for a
core group dedicated to
pedestrian-specific advocacy in
Indianapolis.
We convened to:
• Discuss the work being done;
• Identify issues that still need to be
addressed; and
• Build a cohesive effort around these
issues.
2013 Walking Summit
2013 Walking Summit
So We Begin…….
The work group convened in early 2013. The first meeting was
a brain dump of pedestrian issues in Indianapolis. The
following rose to the top:
• Pedestrian plan for Indianapolis;
• Policies to improve connectivity;
• Pedestrian project prioritization in the City through a
written plan;
• Pedestrian safety best practices implementation; and
• Crosswalk safety issues.
2013 Walking Summit
So We Begin…….
• Identify high pedestrian/vehicle
crash intersections and advocate
for improvements
• Educate on pedestrian safety
• Promote walking as a means of
healthy transportation and
improving the environment
• Start a walking campaign
2013 Walking Summit
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
Our work group is continually learning from the successes and
failures of other cities that are farther along in their structured
pedestrian advocacy.
2013 Walking Summit
Desirable Outcomes
Some of our goals:
1. Work with public officials to improve the balance between
transportation and land use planning to encourage
walking.
2. Improve walkability and increase walking so that our
community is a safe, desirable place to live, work and play.
3. Improve public health of the community (the environment
and physical activity)
4. Provide pedestrian access to commercial centers via a
linked network.
2013 Walking Summit
Who Are Your Partners?
Who would be good partners? Who cares about improving the
walkability of your community?
•
Community organizations whose clients need a safe, connected
pedestrian network-disabled, low-income, elderly etc.
•
Healthcare Community
•
Policymakers, City Agencies
•
Schools
•
Parks
•
Transit Organizations
•
Public Safety Officials
2013 Walking Summit
You Can’t Do it Alone
There is strength in numbers! Pooling
resources helps you:
• Extend
your reach;
• Build
expertise and encourage
different viewpoints;
• Establish
• Reach
consistent messaging; and
a shared goal together.
Think about the reach of your voice
when you have several partners singing
the same tune—it is a beautiful thing.
2013 Walking Summit
Contact Information
Laura Searfoss
National Complete Streets Coalition
[email protected]
Zia Brucaya
Health by Design
(317) 352-3804 x103
[email protected]
Joan Cook
Health by Design
(317) 250-3475
[email protected]