memorandum

to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager

from: J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director

David Bonk, Long Range Planning and Transportation Manager

Len Cone, Go Chapel Hill Active Living by Design Coordinator

subject: Go Chapel Hill Active Living by Design Annual Report

date: June 9, 2008

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to provide the Town Council with an annual review of projects and activities of the Active Living by Design project. The ALbD Year 4 Annual Report is attached (Attachment 1).

BACKGROUND

In 2003 the Town received a $200,000 5 year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to promote active living through programming and physical design. The grant proposal included the preparation of a mobility assessment for the Northside area, a study of the Timberlyne area, NC 86/MLK Jr. Blvd. corridor, encouragement to students for walking to school and general encouragement of more daily activity for Chapel Hill Citizens. The 4^th year of the grant began November 1, 2006, and ended October 31, 2007.

DISCUSSION

The Go! Chapel Hill Active Living by Design program is organized into 3 focus areas dealing with schools, neighborhoods, and businesses. Through community volunteers and partnerships, ongoing efforts are made with the development of opportunity for active living through programming and physical design. A number of achievements, recognitions and awards also were received through the efforts of Go! Chapel Hill Active Living by Design during the period of November 1, 2006, to October 31, 2007.

Active Routes to School

The Active Routes to Schools program has had success through volunteer parents at Ephesus Elementary, Estes Hills Elementary, Scroggs Elementary, Rashkis Elementary and Phillips Middle School.. Volunteers have worked on or are working on neighborhood assessments identifying unsafe intersections, areas with or without sidewalks and bike lanes as well as other issues that might prohibit safe walking or biking to school. Parent surveys as well as classroom surveys have identified areas of concern in school walking zones that help in determining better ways to get more students and parents walking to school. The following active living opportunities were offered through Go! Chapel Hill Active Routes to School:

International Walk to School Day - Phillips Middle School, Estes Hills, Scroggs, Ephesus and Rashkis Elementary Schools participated.
Walking Wednesdays - Through the efforts of the volunteers the program has been successful with more students and parents walking or wheeling to and from school. A decrease in the “kiss and go” traffic lines has been noted at several schools by administrators.
Go! Club 54321 Healthy Challenge - All Chapel Hill school students received materials allowing them to self report daily activity. Over 8000 students through the “Go! Club,” were offered information on activity ideas as well as the daily activity calendar. Recognition for their efforts will be offered through individual schools.

Active Businesses

The Active Business component of the program has made progress in coordination with the Town’s Transportation Management Plan. Through Active Businesses’ employers encourage employees, as well as patrons, to add activity to their daily schedules. The following active living opportunities were offered through Go! Chapel Hill Active Businesses:

Go Chapel Hill Training workshop and awards luncheon was offered in September with over 60 businesses and Transportation Management Plan Coordinators in attendance receiving information on alternative transportation opportunities as well as activity in the workplace for employees. Mayor Foy offered recognition to outstanding businesses relating to alternative transportation.
Businesses Toolkits - containing materials and information on 10,000 Steps program, pedometers as well as bike and greenways maps.
Chapel Hill Transit Map and Schedules – Distributed to Transportation Management Plan Businesses.
Downtown Walking Map – a map of the downtown area has been completed and will be printed for distribution. The map includes walking loops of various distances highlighting murals and other points of interest in the downtown area.

Active Neighborhoods

The Active Neighborhood component includes the work with the NC 86/MLK Jr. Blvd. Study, the Northside Neighborhood and the Timberlyne Neighborhood. The following active living opportunities were offered through Go! Chapel Hill Active Neighborhoods:

NC 86/MLK Jr. Blvd. Community Forum – The draft plan was offered for review and comments. A revised plan was drafted and presented to Town Council.
A National Walkable Community workshop was conducted in November with both residents of Chapel Hill and professionals attending, to receive training on best practices in both retrofitting and new developments.
Northside Neighborhood – Based on the Northside Mobility Plan adopted by Town Council, retrofitting continued including upgrading signage, ADA sidewalk ramps and the addition of sidewalks on several streets. Lighting is currently being studied as well as traffic calming.
Northside Neighborhood – Walking Loop signage was installed.
Timberlyne Neighborhood – A mobility study was developed and presented in at a community forum. Recommendations were made by residents and a petition of retrofit recommendations made to Town Council.
Crosswalks, bicycle lanes and a sidewalk were added to retrofit the Timberlyne Community. Lighting is currently being studied and traffic calming is scheduled to go in during the summer of 2008.

Achievements

The Town of Chapel Hill was awarded the National Physical Projects Active Living by Design Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The Go Chapel Hill Active Living by Design program was featured as an example of best practices in Active Living on the National Active Living by Design website.
The Go Chapel Hill Active Living by Design Active Schools program was featured as an example of best practices on the National Safe Routes to School website.
Go! Chapel Hill Web Site - The Go! Chapel Hill website promotes all 3 areas of the Go! Chapel Hill Active Living by Design program. It is designed to be a valuable resource for those needing information on how to become involved in active businesses, schools, or neighborhoods as well as beginning a 10,000 steps program or finding information for a healthier more active lifestyle with tips or linking onto other healthy living links. The web site is updated frequently.

NEXT STEPS

The Go Chapel Hill Active Living by Design program is in the fifth and final year of the $200,000 5-year grant ending October 31, 2008. Town staff is completing the original proposal details of the grant application. The focus of the final year for the Town’s Active Living by Design Advisory Committee is having a Complete Streets program established within the Town as well as a focus on a Sustainable Community Gardening program. Staff continues to lend support to the committee.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation offered additional Active Living by Design Sustainability grant funding. The additional funding has been applied for and an announcement is expected regarding the funding in the next month.

ATTACHMENTS

Active Living by Design Year 4 Annual Report. (begin new page 1).