Winter 2004
New Resources
New Spanish Language Fact Sheet on
Walking and Livability:
Calles Más Seguras para Familias y Niños
Statistics show that a markedly disproportionate number of Latinos
in California and the Central Valley are hit and either injured
or killed by vehicles while they are walking to work, school, and
other routine destinations. According to a California Department
of Health Services study nearly half (49%) of children and youth
pedestrian victims in California are Hispanic. In addition, while
comprising 30 percent of California's population, Latinos accounted
for 37 percent of all hospitalized pedestrian fatalities and injuries
in 1998, according to the Surface Transportation Policy Project's Dangerous
by Design: Pedestrian Safety in California.
To help raise awareness among Spanish-speaking communities and
point toward solutions, the Local Government Commission has produced
a Spanish language fact sheet on how conventional land use and
transportation decisions made at the local level can adversely
affect the health, well-being, and vitality of Latinos in the Central
Valley and throughout California. The fact sheet proposes smart
growth strategies for Latino communities, including traffic calming
and other design tools.
This 8-page Spanish language fact sheet is available in our Free
Resource section.
Funding Opportunities
Safe Routes to School
Applications for the 5th cycle of California's Safe Routes to
School (SR2S) grants are currently being solicited. Local agencies
can apply for construction funds to improve and enhance the safety
of pedestrian and bicycle facilities and related infrastructure.
Funded categories include sidewalk improvements, traffic calming
and speed reduction items, on-street bicycle facilities, pedestrian/bicycle
crossing improvements, off-street bicycle/pedestrian facilities,
and traffic diversion improvements. The deadline is
the close of business on Friday, February 27, 2004.
The Safe Routes to School program sunsets on January 1, 2005,
unless a later enacted statute deletes or extends that date. Recently,
two bills have been introduced that propose the continuation of
the program. They are SB 10 (Soto) and AB 775 (Parra). Visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/ for details on each.
To apply for funds and for more information, go to this Caltrans
web link: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LocalPrograms/saferoute2.htm.
Design Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts
Central Valley communities can apply for funds from the National
Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for planning, urban design and architecture,
among other things. Applications will be accepted in 2004 under
two deadlines: March 15 and August 16. Many types
of activities are candidates for funding. All applications must
come from 501(c)3 nonprofits. Other entities can partner with the
applying entity as long as the nonprofit is the grant recipient.
In recent years the NEA has awarded grants to about half of its
design applicants, with an average grant size of about $30,000.
The Local Government Commission has partnered in the past with
Central Valley cities and received NEA grants for community workshops
to develop design concepts to turn downtowns into community centers
that attract investment. For more information contact Josh Meyer
at the Local Government Commission: 916-448-1198 Ext. 310/jmeyer@lgc.org For
the NEA grant process and guidelines, go to http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/GAP05/Design.html.
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