Purpose of this report
EVENTS, RESEARCH AND CAPACITY BUILDING
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EVENTS, RESEARCH AND CAPACITY BUILDINGPSRC has been resourceful in identifying a number of ways in which to build its capacity to connect health and transportation planning. In November 2010, it hosted a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) / Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Exchange on “Project Prioritization for Regional Long-Range Transportation Plans” where it learned that other MPOs were incorporating health into their LRTPs. At the event, PSRC connected with Translink, the transportation authority for Vancouver, British Columbia, as a resource. This relationship resulted in PSRC’s participation in a one-day symposium in October 2011 on integrating active transportation and health into municipal and regional transportation planning, sponsored by the University of British Columbia’s Health & Community Design Lab. The Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee organized a webinar with the Nashville Area MPO on how to frame projects to address active living and health. Finally, PSRC was able to use FTA Section 5307 funding to support regional planning efforts to link the bicycle, pedestrian, and transit networks. Equity and Health in Transportation Conference hosted by PSRC and the Growing Transit Communities, September 28th 2012 - Hotel Murano, Tacoma People + Place: Action for a Sustainable Future hosted by Growing Transit Communities, December 10th 2013 Pronto! Cycle Share: PSRC serves on the board of Pronto! Cycle Share and this board opted to form an Equity Committee to address equitable access to bike share. One result of this is a regional federal grant award to the City of Seattle for free or reduced fare bike share passes to people of low-income. Pronto! Cycle Share’s Equity Committee is reaching out to low-income housing advocacy organizations to access potential populations.
PAST TIMELINE OF HEALTH AND EQUITY RELATED ACTIVITIES2002 Land use, transportation, air quality, and health (LUTAQH) two-year study begins 2003 Washington State Department of Health launches the Washington State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan 2004 Issue paper for health written and adopted for the Vision 2020 +20 Update Health-scape (Phase II of LUTAQH) launches and begins development of assessment tools 2008 VISION 2040 adopted, with significant focus on the importance of health for people, prosperity, and the planet Washington State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan updated Pierce County receives an Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental ChangE (ACHIEVE) grant 2009 “VISION 2040 & Health” brochure created, emphasizing the link between environment and health and how health is addressed in VISION 2040 2010 King County receives DHHS/CDC Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) grant for tackling tobacco use and obesity. PSRC is one of the recipients of this CPPW grant to develop the Active Communities Guidebook. Transportation 2040 adopted PSRC receives a HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant to implement VISION 2040 PSRC requests and hosts a peer exchange on “Project Prioritization for Regional Long-Range Transportation Plans” that includes health 2011 Transportation 2040 Prioritization Working Group drafts Decision Guide proposal, with nine measures Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and Washington State Department of Health receive DHHS/CDC Community Transformation Grants (CTG) for chronic disease prevention. Regional Equity Network begins small grants program PSRC participated in a one-day symposium in integrating active transportation and health into municipal and regional transportation planning, sponsored by the U. of British Columbia’s Health & Community Design Lab The Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee organized a webinar with the Nashville Area MPO on how to frame projects to address active living and health PSRC was able to use FTA Section 5307 funding to support regional planning efforts to link the bicycle, pedestrian, and transit networks. 2012 VISION 2040 Monitoring Committee to develop measures for VISION 2040 Active Communities Guidebook is completed and on the PSRC website (product of the CPPW grant) Equity and Health in Transportation Conference was hosted by PSRC and the Growing Transit Communities Program 2013 PHSKC and Children’s Hospital receive a Community Transformation grant. PSRC was one of the recipients of these funds to develop the Planning for Whole Communities Toolkit The Regional Equity Network and partners held the Puget Sound Equity Summit 2014 Update of Transportation 2040 is adopted (which includes the new Active Transportation Plan, an update to the Coordinated Human Services Plan among many other updates) Planning for Whole Communities Toolkit is completed and on the PSRC website Transit Supportive Planning toolkit is completed and on the PSRC website TRANSPORTATION PSRC sees integrating health and equity considerations into the Transportation 2040 project prioritization and funding process as a possible future next step. An additional step is broadening understanding about interdependencies between health, environment and economy. PSRC staffers and others have used the sustainability framework within VISION 2040 to make connections between people, planet, and prosperity. Some participants in the transportation planning process still think there are inherent conflicts between environmental or health outcomes and economic outcomes. This dichotomy is a barrier to more fully integrating public health into land use and transportation planning, and to achieving the sustainability goals of VISION 2040.
There is recognition by both PSRC and its public health partners that public health issues need to be chosen strategically to maintain political and public support and that outreach and education on new ideas will be important to build political will. For example, many in the public health community are interested in the use of health impact assessments but not all agree that HIAs are an appropriate priority for all communities in the region at this time, given limited community and agency capacities. For now, public health leadership and staff hope to continue participating in discussions and to provide consultation and technical assistance to PSRC boards and committees. The public health partners acknowledge that it is difficult to translate public health research into planning because of the long time frame, data limitations, and the current lack of research to quantify the health benefits of specific actions (such as installing 10 miles of sidewalk) and would like to work with PSRC to improve its technical capacity related to health factors. The public health partners would also like to assist PSRC in the communication of this technical information in manner that is easy to understand and resonates with broader audiences.
In terms of equity, our research uncovered that there is no universal definition of equity. For some people, equity means “social justice” or the fair distribution of opportunities, jobs, housing, transportation, or education to all people. For others, especially in the context of transportation investments, equity is often referred to the fair distribution of publicly-funded investments across geographic areas in the region. Often, people who use the term “equity” as a catch-all term assume that their audience shares a belief in the intrinsic importance of equity; in other words, a universal commitment to social justice. While this may be true for some people, research indicates that people’s commitment to social justice varies. On the other hand, there are societal arguments for equity that may be less subjective. Research links social, economic, and geographic equity to a higher tax base; sustained economic growth; and better education, health, and infrastructure.
Therefore, conversations about equity should begin with a contextual definition: access to opportunities, jobs, affordable housing, transportation, or education for everyone. In addition, the use of data to make the explicit link between access to clean, safe housing; living-wage jobs; and safe, affordable transportation for everyone and positive societal outcomes, such as higher transit ridership result in a better return on investment, and a higher tax base. Directory: assets assets -> Northern territory of australia assets -> Number: caveat in the [Will/Will and Codicil/Estate of] assets -> Invitation for Bid Calact/mbta for Standard Floor and Low Floor Rural Duty Vehicles ifb no. 12-03 November 14, 2012 assets -> 12 Step Retreats For Everyone in Twelve Step Recovery Ratner Fellowship assets -> 12 Step Retreats For Everyone in Twelve Step Recovery Ratner Fellowship assets -> Sigaccess annual Report assets -> Central Government is expected to ask the seventh pay commission to consider merging 50% dearness allowance assets -> List of accessible executive records assets -> Emergency telephone numbers Call toll-free from anywhere in France Download 150.42 Kb. Share with your friends:
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