Action Communities for Health Innovation and EnVironmental ChangE
Safe Routes to School
Improving children’s safety while Walking and Bicycling
Congratulations to the Community Schools of Frankfort! The Indiana Department of Transportation selected the elementary schools of Frankfort for $74,168 grant to create a comprehensive safe routes plan and provide encouragement, promotion, education, training to get kids walking and biking to school . There were 46 applicants seeking over $8.1 million in funding.
$5.1 million was awarded.
Lisa Pierce will serve as the coordinator for this project, which is part of Healthy Communities of Clinton County. The focus on children walking and biking to school is one of health. National obesity is on the rise with 29.5% of Hoosiers being recognized as obese. Children today are likely to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents if changes aren’t made in activity and nutrition choices.
Many activities are in the planning stage with the elementary schools participating in the State “Fifteen Days of Fun on Your Feet” initiative in May and winning $500 for their effort. Walking on Wednesday in a Walking School Bus will be the fall focus with a big Kick Off event on August 11th.
Another grant has been submitted to INDOT for Rossville Elementary and Middle Schools in the amount of $64,000 which will be awarded in October of this year.
To learn more about
Frankfort’s Safe Route to School program go on our blog at
srtsfrankfort.wordpress.com.
CHART
Community Health Action Response Team
| Susan Tharp Shan Sheridan Bob Commings Brooke Carlson Carol Price |
Chris McBarnes Eric Woods Don DeWeese Curt Emmuel Mark Mills |
Esmerelda Cruz Dr. Stephen Tharp John Brannan Robin Davis Cindy Beebe |
Tom Crawford Kelly Peisker Claudia Houchen Lisa Pierce |
History of ACHIEVE in Clinton County
Chosen one of 40 in the nation.
ACHIEVE is a partnership between local communities and national and state organizations joined in a movement to create healthier places to live, work and play. In January 2008, 10 initial communities were jointly selected by the National Associaition of Chronic Disease Director (NACDD) and the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) to pilot the ACHIEVE model in its first year. During the next five years, these organizations, along with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), will individually select and fund approximately 40 new communities each year (10 per organization) for a total of at least 200 ACHIEVE communities. In March 2009, 43 communities were selected to join ACHIEVE and in February 2010, 40 additional communities were selected. Later, in February of 2011, forty additional communities were selected. At that time, Clinton County was honored to be selected as one of the counties chosen to participate in the program.
Complete Streets
“Complete Streets” is a new term in our vocabulary but the idea behind it is not new. It just means we want streets that take into consideration all modes of transportation. We want people walking, biking, pushing a stroller or in a wheelchair to have a convenient and safe way to get where they are going. Motor vehicles are not the only mode of transportation.
Congratulations to the Frankfort City Council! They have successfully adopted a Complete Streets ordinance for the city and they are putting it good use already!
Preliminary plans for Frankfort's first Complete Streets project were unveiled at a public meeting for residents of South Maish Road. Each traffic lane on revamped South Maish Road will remain 11 feet wide, but following the Complete Streets concept, the final thoroughfare will also include bike lanes on each side, 2½ feet of curb and gutter and a 6 foot sidewalk on the west side separated from traffic with a 4 wide greenspace. Total project costs will be $4.4million.
"You're going to feel like this road has been opened up – but at the same time we'll be providing a safe route for all who use it –whether drivers or pedestrians, runners or bicyclists," said project designer Larry Lawlor.
Neighborhood resident, Mary Jo Geilser, was enthused about the plans. "I will say this is refreshing and exciting. I believe this Complete Streets idea is a great thing."
Healthy Communities of Clinton has reached one of its many goals with the adoption of Complete Streets. The Community Action Plan lays out 7 major goals for health such as access to healthy food, smoke free air and wellness policies.
If you would like to learn more about the Complete Streets Program click on www.completestreets.org.
“ In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it. ”Marianne Williamson, Best-Selling Author
