Just about a year ago Eloisa Renault stepped away as co-chair of our TRB
Health and Transportation subcommittee. It was a pleasure working with
Eloisa and I think we made a pretty good team. I want to thank Eloisa
for her help in taking the subcommittee from a thought on a piece of
paper to a well-functioning group with a long list of accomplishments.
Thanks you Eloisa.
Moving forward I would like to introduce Michael Widener, as my new
co-chair. Those who have attended our annual meetings have seen Michael
at all of our meeting taking an active roll in many of the subcommittee
activities. Michael is an assistant professor in the Department of
Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto. Prior to this
appointment, he spent three years as an assistant professor in the
Department of Geography at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Widener is
primarily interested in topics related to health, transportation, urban
geography, and GIScience. He uses a number of methods to explore
research problems in these areas, including spatial analysis,
optimization modelling, and spatial statistics. Dr. Widener is also
active in professional academic communities, serving as a member on two
TRB committees (Environmental Justice and Social and Economic Factors),
the Chair of the Health and Medical Geography Specialty Group of the
Association of American Geographers, and co-chair of the Social and
Health Issues Cluster of the Network on European Communications and
Transportation Activity Research (NECTAR).
Please help me welcome Michael to his new Co-chair position.
Michael J. Widener, PhD
michael.widener(a)utoronto.ca
http://www.thinkingspatial.com
--
Ed Christopher
Transportation Planning Consultant
708-269-5237
Illinois News Bureau, May 16: Study: Higher mass transit use associated with lower obesity rates<https://news.illinois.edu/blog/view/6367/501546>
Healthy mass transit systems could contribute to healthier communities, according to a new study by University of Illinois researchers that determined higher mass transit use was correlated with lower obesity rates in counties across the United States.
From: Martinez, Victoria (FHWA)
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2017 8:26 AM
Subject: FW: EDC-4 Five Ways to Boost Pedestrian Safety
Innovation of the Month:
Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian
[Pedestrian Refuge Island]The safe transportation for every pedestrian<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP…> (STEP) program the Federal Highway Administration is promoting in Every Day Counts round four (EDC-4) includes five proven countermeasures to get pedestrians safely across the road at uncontrolled crossing locations.
* Crosswalk visibility enhancements, such as crosswalk lighting and enhanced signing and marking, help drivers detect pedestrians.
* Raised crosswalks are a traffic-calming technique that can reduce vehicle speeds and encourage drivers to yield to pedestrians.
* Pedestrian refuge islands<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP…> provide a safer place for pedestrians to stop at the midpoint of the road before crossing the remaining distance, which is particularly helpful for pedestrians with limited mobility.
* Pedestrian hybrid beacons<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP…> provide a stop control treatment at locations where pedestrian volumes aren't high enough to warrant a traffic signal. They are a useful device for higher speed multilane roads.
* Road diets<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP…>, also an EDC-3 innovation, reconfigure a roadway cross-section to better accommodate all users' needs. It can reduce vehicle speeds and the number of lanes pedestrians need to cross and create space to add new pedestrian facilities.
See FHWA's Proven Safety Countermeasures<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP…> Web page for more information on STEP countermeasures and strategies to improve pedestrian safety.
FYI -
From: Snell, Joseph [mailto:JSnell@nas.edu]
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2017 3:26 PM
To: TCRP_ANNOUNCE(a)LSW.NAS.EDU
Subject: [TCRP_ANNOUNCE] New Transit Cooperative Research Program Project Statement: TCRP F-26
A request for proposals for the following Transit Cooperative Research Program project is now available:
http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4293
TCRP F-26: Improving the Health and Safety of Transit Workers with Corresponding Impacts on the Bottom Line
Joseph J. Snell
Administrative Coordinator
Cooperative Research Programs
Transportation Research Board
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202/334-3502
202/334-2006 FAX
jsnell(a)nas.edu<mailto:jsnell@nas.edu>
www.trb.org<http://www.trb.org/>
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Posting this for a colleague.
> From: Berrigan, David (NIH/NCI) [E]
> Sent: Monday, May 08, 2017 4:11 PM
> To: 'h+t--friends(a)chrispy.net.' <h+t--friends(a)chrispy.net.>
> Subject: NIH Sponsored workshop Register Now! Upcoming Workshop: Methods for Evaluating Natural Experiments in Obesity
>
> Hello Transportation and Health Mavens
>
> The workshop below might be of interest
>
> It will have some Transportation examples and some cross-cutting methodological contents.
>
> Note it includes an Early Stage Investigator Poster Session
>
> The Workshop is free
>
> Please let me know if you have any questions
>
> Regards
>
> David Berrigan PhD MPH
> Behavioral Research Program
> Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
> National Cancer Institute
> 9609 Medical Center Drive MSC 7344
> Room 3E522
> Bethesda MD 20892-7344
> Phone: 240-276-6752
> Fax: 240-276-7906
> berrigad(a)mail.nih.gov
>
>
> Register Now!
> NIH Pathways to Prevention Workshop:
> Methods for Evaluating Natural Experiments in Obesity
>
> December 5–6, 2017
> Natcher Conference Center (Building 45)
> NIH Main Campus, Bethesda, Maryland
> and via NIH VideoCast
> Register to attend
> Add this event to your Outlook Calendar
> About the Workshop
>
> Obesity is a major contributor to serious health conditions in children and adults. The prevalence of obesity in the United States and globally has grown rapidly in the last three decades, and there is a pressing need to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
> The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is hosting the Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Methods for Evaluating Natural Experiments in Obesity to better understand appropriate, high-quality natural experiment research designs in obesity prevention and control. The workshop will take place on December 5–6, 2017 on the NIH Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland.
>
> The workshop will be free and open to the public, and attendees can join either in person or via NIH VideoCast. In-person attendance is strongly encouraged.
>
> Workshop Poster Session
>
> This workshop will include a poster session for early-stage investigators to exhibit their research in novel methods in evaluating natural experiments in obesity prevention and control. If you’re interested in submitting an abstract, be sure to check the box under “Poster Session” on the registration form. Additional details about the poster session, including criteria and application instructions, will be announced soon.
>
> Workshop Resources
>
> · Background Information
> · Draft Workshop Agenda
> · Continuing Education Credits
> · Spread the Word
>
> Register to attend
> Workshop Sponsors
>
> · Office of Disease Prevention (ODP)
> · National Cancer Institute (NCI)
> · National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
> · National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
> Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI)
>
>
>
>
>
>
> The NIH Office of Disease Prevention, 6100 Executive Blvd., Suite 2B03, MSC 7523, Bethesda, MD 20892-7523
> SafeUnsubscribe™ winseckk(a)mail.nih.gov
>
> Forward email | Update Profile | About our service provider
>
> Sent by prevention(a)mail.nih.gov in collaboration with
>
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>
OakDOT is recruiting for an Engineering Technician II to join our stellar Parking & Mobility Management team! Details attached.
--
ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN II - PARKING & MOBILITY MANAGEMENT
Job Description
The City of Oakland Department of Transportation seeks to fill one Engineering Technician II position in the Parking & Mobility Management team to deliver on curb requests, and support active curb management, demand responsive parking, car share, bike share, and other shared mobility initiatives. Within this team, there is ample opportunity for a detail-oriented, data friendly individual to make a difference on the next generation of mobility management practices in Oakland. Competitive candidates will be comfortable drafting detailed drawings or maps, working with complex datasets, and taking initiative to support shared mobility programs. Experience with ArcGIS or AutoCAD desired.
See attachment for more details. Official classification is here.<https://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca/default.cfm?action=viewclassspe…>
How to Apply
Please email Danielle Dai (ddai(a)oaklandnet.com<mailto:ddai@oaklandnet.com>) with the subject line OakDOT Engineering Technician II. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until position is filled. Application must include the following items:
* Brief cover letter highlighting relevant experiences, qualifications, and interest in position
* Resume
* Completed City application form
* 1-2 work samples demonstrating use of technical skills (e.g. technical drawing or map created with ArcGIS, AutoCAD, and/or Adobe Creative Suite)
Bowers, Frederick (FHWA) would like to recall the message, "Task Force Recommends Built Environment and Transportation System Interventions to Increase Physical Activity".
FYI -
Subject: Task Force Recommends Built Environment and Transportation System Interventions to Increase Physical Activity
Dear colleagues,
We are excited to announce the U.S. Community Preventive Services Task Force<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/task-force/what-task-force> (Task Force) has issued a new recommendation to increase physical activity through built environment approaches that combine transportation system interventions with land use and environmental design<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/physical-activity-built-environm…>. Based on the huge volume of high quality work you have all done in the last view years related to the intersection of transportation and health, I though you and your colleagues and partners might be interested in these significant new findings and recommendations.
The Task Force recommendation is based on evidence from a systematic review<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/about/our-methodology> of 90 studies. These studies used diverse designs, assessed and compared different combinations of interventions or existing built environment characteristics, and evaluated longitudinal changes or cross-sectional differences for a wide range of physical activity outcomes.
What does the evidence show?
* Physical activity increases among individuals in communities with new or improved projects or policies combining transportation (e.g. pedestrian or cycling paths) with land use and design components (e.g. mixed land uses or access to public parks).
* Combinations of activity-supportive built environment characteristics are associated with higher levels of transportation-related physical activity, recreational physical activity, and total walking among exposed individuals.
It has become increasingly clear that the public health and medical sectors cannot successfully address the health challenges described below on their own. The Transportation Research Board<http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/sr/sr282.pdf> and the National Academy of Medicine<https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21802/physical-activity-moving-toward-obesity-s…>, as well as many of your professional associations (including AIA<http://aiad8.prod.acquia-sites.com/sites/default/files/2017-03/Public%20Pol…>, APA<https://www.planning.org/policy/guides/adopted/surfacetransportation.htm>, ASCE<http://www.asce.org/issues-and-advocacy/public-policy/policy-statement-537-…>, ASLA<https://www.asla.org/uploadedFiles/CMS/Government_Affairs/Public_Policies/T…>, CNU<https://www.cnu.org/who-we-are/charter-new-urbanism>, ITE<http://library.ite.org/pub/e1bba044-2354-d714-513e-9e190fb4754b>, NRPA<http://www.nrpa.org/our-work/Three-Pillars/health-wellness/>, and ULI<https://uli.org/research/centers-initiatives/building-healthy-places-initia…>), and the U.S. Surgeon General<https://www.surgeongeneral.gov/stepitup>, supported the Task Force decision's to review this evidence. Most importantly, the new recommendation recognizes and supports the importance of the transportation, land use, and community design sectors in addressing these critical health challenges.
Why is this important?
Physical inactivity accounts for about 11% of premature deaths in the United States, and $117 billion (in 2012 dollars; 11% of aggregate health care expenditures) annually were associated with inadequate levels of physical activity. Despite the health benefits, only one-half of U.S. adults reported levels of physical activity consistent with the guideline for aerobic physical activity in 2013 (Surgeon General's Call to Action<http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/stepitup>).
Share the news!
Following are links to more information and promotional materials we hope you will share with your colleagues and any others who may be interested.
* Intervention Summary<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/physical-activity-built-environm…>-read a summary of the evidence review and Task Force
finding
* Combined Built Environment Features Help Communities Get Active<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/content/combined-built-environment-featur…>-include this story in your newsletter, or share the link with colleagues
* Built Environment One-Pager-use this one-pager as a quick reference
* Twitter<https://twitter.com/CPSTF>(r)-retweet @CPSTF <https://twitter.com/CPSTF> messages about the new recommendation or tweet one of the following examples:
o Evidence supports combined built environment approaches to increase physical activity: http://bit.ly/2oYW1UT #TheCommunityGuide
o See #TheCommunityGuide for new findings from @CPSTF about creating better environments for physical activity: http://bit.ly/2oYW1UT
What are the Task Force and Community Guide?
* The Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/task-force/community-preventive-services-…> is an independent, nonfederal, voluntary panel of public health and prevention experts. The Task Force works to improve the health of all Americans by providing evidence-based recommendations about community preventive programs and services to improve health. Its members represent a broad range of research, practice, and policy expertise in community prevention services, public health, health promotion, and disease prevention.
* The Guide to Community Preventive Services<http://www.thecommunityguide.org> (The Community Guide) is a collection of all the evidence-based findings and recommendations of the Community Preventive Services Task Force and is available online at www.thecommunityguide.org<http://www.thecommunityguide.org>.
We encourage you to visit The Community Guide website at www.thecommunityguide.org<http://www.thecommunityguide.org>. Here you'll find other recommendations relevant to transportation systems and built environments, as well as supporting resources such as Community Guide in Action stories that feature decision-makers who have used The Community Guide to make their communities safer and healthier. We have also added three websites below to use as additional resources.
Thank you for all that you and your colleagues are doing to support healthy community design efforts and improved transportation systems for all modes and users. We appreciate any help you can give us to spread the word about the Task Force's new recommendation. Please let me know if there is any way we can assist your efforts.
CDC's Physical Activity and Health Program: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/
Surgeon General's Call to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/stepitup
CDC's Healthy Places Website: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/