Healthy Local Transportation Policy Presentation to Obesity Prevention Summit December 6, 2012 Craig M. Benjamin Policy and Government Affairs Manager
Dec 15, 2015
Healthy Local Transportation Policy
Healthy Local Transportation Policy
Presentation to Obesity Prevention Summit December 6, 2012
Craig M. Benjamin
Policy and Government Affairs Manager
Craig M. Benjamin
Policy and Government Affairs Manager
Cascade Bicycle ClubCascade Bicycle Club• Non-profit organization serving
14,000 members & the Puget Sound bicycling community
• Mission: to Create a Better Community Through Bicycling
• Advocacy, Policy & Planning, Education, Events & Rides
Factors that Affect HealthFactors that Affect Health Examples
Eat healthy, be physically active
Rx for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes
Poverty, education, housing, inequality
Immunizations, brief intervention, cessation treatment, colonoscopy
Fluoridation, 0g trans fat, iodization, smoke-free laws, tobacco tax
Socioeconomic Factors *And Racism
Changing the Contextto make individuals’ default decisions healthy
Long-lasting Protective Interventions
ClinicalInterventions
Counseling & Education
Smallest Impact
Largest Impact
The problemThe problem
A sedentary lifestyle leads to health problems ranging from obesity to cancer.
The problemThe problem
We’ve engineered daily physical activity out of our people’s lives by not providing safe places for people to walk and bike.
Snohomish County: The problemSnohomish County: The problem• <1% of Snohomish County
residents ride bikes to work.• More than 27% of Snohomish
County residents are obese.
Existing Complete Streets Policies
Snohomish CountyThe problemSnohomish CountyThe problem• Lack of advocacy for bicycling has meant a lack of safe, connected routes.
• Kids who come through Basics of Bicycling can’t ride to school or in their neighborhoods.
The case for bicyclingThe case for bicyclingA connected
network of bicycling routes leads to:• Healthier people• Stronger communities
• Safer streets• Better air and water quality
• Reduced congestion
Portland, Oregon 1990
Bike lanes encourage bike commuting
0 - 2%
2 - 3%
3 - 5%
5 - 8%
8 - 10%
10+%
Bike Commute Mode Split
City of Portland
Dept. of Transportation
Black lines show 1990 bikeway network...
…colors show 1990 mode splits
(by census tract)
Portland, Oregon 2000
Bike lanes encourage bike commuting
0 - 2%
2 - 3%
3 - 5%
5 - 8%
8 - 10%
10+%
Bike Commute Mode Split
City of Portland
Dept. of Transportation
Black lines show 2000 bikeway network...
…colors show 2000 mode splits
(by census tract)
Healthier people, healthier communities
More people bicycling
People feeling confident and encouraged to bicycle
Safe routes for bicycling
Supportive funding, policies, plans and bicycle
infrastructure
Effective community advocates
Supportive local
governments + businesses
Supportive elected officials
Education and encouragement
programs
Changing the ContextChanging the Context• Goal: Improve health by making it easier and safer for people to ride bikes through outreach to…– Transportation planners and policy
makers– Businesses– Grassroots advocates– 3,000 middle school students
Plans and Policiesbicycle policy and planning workshops
Plans and Policiesbicycle policy and planning workshops
Changing the ContextChanging the Context• Goal: Improve health by making it
easier and safer for people to ride bikes through outreach to…– Transportation planners and policy makers– Businesses– Grassroots advocates– 3,000 middle school students
Changing the ContextChanging the Context• Goal: Improve health by making it
easier and safer for people to ride bikes through outreach to…– Transportation planners and policy
makers– Businesses– Grassroots advocates– 3,000 middle school students
Changing the ContextChanging the Context• Goal: Improve health by making it
easier and safer for people to ride bikes through outreach to…– Transportation planners and policy
makers– Businesses– Grassroots advocates– 3,000 middle school students
The OutcomesThe Outcomes• People in south Snohomish County
will ride bikes more often as part of a healthy, active lifestyle.
Questions?Questions?
Craig M. Benjamin
Policy and Government Affairs Manager
Craig M. Benjamin
Policy and Government Affairs Manager