2

Description of health issue, policy solution, sustainability, and replicability.

a) What is the public health issue (or issues) that is being addressed by the project? How many people are affected? What are the health inequities related to this public health issue? Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in the United States for individuals age 1-34, and it

ranks among the top ten leading causes of death for individuals in all age groups. Many unintentional injuries and fatalities occur as a result of motor vehicle crashes, often involving pedestrians or bicyclists. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,092 pedestrians and 630 bicyclists were killed and another 59,000 pedestrians and 51,000 bicyclists were injured as a result of traffic accidents in 2009. Florida consistently ranks among the top three states for pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, with 499 pedestrian and 76 bicyclist fatalities in 2010. During the same year, Manatee County on the southwest coast of Florida, had 146 pedestrian injuries and eight pedestrian fatalities, and 106 bicyclist injuries and one bicyclist fatality. One contributing factor to the high pedestrian/cyclist injury and fatality rates in Florida is the design of roadways built to accommodate large volumes of traffic, without taking pedestrian and bicyclist safety into consideration.

Obesity rates have grown to epidemic proportions in the United States over the past decade. In Florida, 66.2% are classified as overweight or obese, and the state ranks thirteenth in childhood obesity rates. In Manatee County, close to 60% of adults and more than 25% of youth are obese. Physical inactivity is a prime cause of weight gain and poor cardiovascular health; however, the ability to exercise is often beyond the control of the individual. People who do not feel safe walking or exercising outdoors in their neighborhoods due to high crime rates or heavy traffic have very limited options for staying active. Additionally, in areas where motor vehicles are the primary mode of transportation, people may be discouraged from using alternate modes of transportation such as walking or biking to school or work.

Vehicle emissions pollute the air we breathe and contribute to health problems like asthma, pneumonia, lower respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer. The more concentrated the motor vehicle traffic is, the higher the rates of pollution will be, thereby increasing the risk for developing heart and lung diseases. In 2010, Manatee County reported 1,286 hospitalizations for chronic lower respiratory diseases, including asthma, for a rate of 291.6 per 100,000 population; statewide, the rate was 372.9.

Children, older adults, and racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected in pedestrian/bicyclist injuries and fatalities. These populations are less likely to have a driver license or own a car due to age or income, and therefore they are more likely to walk or bike, making them more prone to pedestrian and bicycling injuries. African Americans use walking as a form of transportation 26% more than white Americans, and Hispanic Americans walk 45% more than whites. Children may be especially vulnerable as they are unaware of the rules of the road and not always conscious of their surroundings. The pedestrian fatality rate for Hispanic children is 40% higher than that of white children, and African American children have a pedestrian fatality rate that is double that of whites. Elderly populations may have poor vision or hearing and slower reactions, impeding their ability to safely share the roads with motorists. Hispanics over 65 have a pedestrian fatality rate double that of African Americans in the same age group, and 173% higher than whites. Nearly one-fourth of Manatee County’s population is at least 65 years old, 8.7% are Black or African American, and 14.9% identify as Hispanic. b) What policy solution is being proposed? What impact on health outcomes and health inequities

would this policy solution have? What is the evidence that this solution can be implemented and can have the desired impact? A Complete Streets policy for Manatee County will improve road safety for all users, encourage

physical activity, and reduce traffic congestion and associated air pollution. Local transportation planners and engineers may use a Complete Streets policy to consider safety and accessibility for all users whenever developing or reconstructing roadways. According to the National Complete Streets Coalition, a comprehensive Complete Streets policy includes a vision for how and why the community wants to complete its streets; specifies “all users” to include pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit passengers of all ages and abilities; encourages street connectivity; and is understood by all agencies to cover all roads.

3

Manatee County’s Transportation Plan and Land Redevelopment Code already specify the need for all future roadways to be designed with elements of Complete Streets, including sidewalks on both sides of the road and in front of all establishments, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations, designated bicycle lanes, and a focus on both safety and efficiency in all methods of travel. However, there is no current policy in place to guarantee that existing county roadways will be retrofitted to meet Complete Streets standards. For this reason, many older and highly-trafficked thoroughfares in Manatee County lack facilities for all users, especially pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Manatee County Health Department (MCHD), in collaboration with the Manatee County Building and Development Services Department (BDSD), City of Bradenton Department of Planning and Community Development, the Departments of Public Works, and the Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), has agreed to develop a Complete Streets policy as an amendment to the County’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan and Land Development Code, pending grant funding. Inexpensive and unobtrusive elements of a Complete Streets policy can have a strong and positive impact on both health and the economy. One such element proposed herein is the provision of signage to alternate bike routes through side roads and local streets, trails and greenways, that bypass major thoroughfares and connect cyclists and pedestrians to specific destinations such as stores, schools, or beaches.

States with the highest rates of walking and biking have the lowest rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. However, the majority of Americans feel that they do not have any options other than to drive a car; approximately half of older Americans say they would walk or bike more if the roadways in their neighborhoods were safer, and many parents do not allow their children to walk or bike to school because they are concerned about safety. Implementation of a Complete Streets Policy in Manatee County will reduce the high rates of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities by making roadways more accommodating to individuals using alternate modes of transportation. Increased safety will encourage greater usage of alternate transportation (e.g. walking, biking, or public transportation), which will not only increase physical activity, but it will also reduce traffic congestion on the roads, leading to fewer motor vehicle accidents and a decline in air pollution. A Complete Streets policy that expands options and ensures safety for alternate modes of transportation will be well-received by Manatee County residents and employees.

Complete Streets policies are supported by federal agencies and have been passed successfully in numerous municipalities, counties, and states across the nation. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognized Complete Streets as a recommended policy strategy to reduce obesity. The United States Department of Transportation supports Complete Streets, releasing a policy statement in 2010 declaring, “Every transportation agency, including DOT, has the responsibility to improve conditions and opportunities for walking and bicycling and to integrate walking and bicycling into their transportation systems.” c) Which stage(s) and activities of the policy change process will this funding support? What

specific objectives will be accomplished with this funding? What is likely to happen after the project period? If this funding will not complete the policy change process, what resources are in place to ensure continued progress? The entirety of this grant funding will be used to hire a consultant who will provide the needed

assistance to pass a Complete Streets policy for Manatee County. The consultant will be responsible for establishing criteria for roads in the County for retrofit projects; engineering cross-sections (i.e. designing elements of Complete Streets for all varieties of road and intersection classifications) to be included in the County’s Public Works Engineering Standards; drafting goals, objectives, and policies to add to the County’s Comprehensive Plan; providing a web-based GIS inventory of available transit, bicyclist, and pedestrian infrastructure resources and alternate routes on the Manatee County website; and drafting amendments to the County’s Land Development Code. The amendment will include a definition of Complete Streets and standards with which the County and land development community must be in compliance in order to create a Complete Streets community.

4

After the consultant drafts the amendments, the County will be required to pass an ordinance in order to authorize the Complete Streets policy language as an amendment. Based on support received from the County Administrator and Commissioners, the Complete Streets policy is certain to be passed without issue. Once the Complete Streets policy has been written into the Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Code, and Public Works Engineering Standards, the Public Works Department (PWD) will fund retrofitting projects to comply with the policy guidelines. The first steps will include developing a web-based infrastructure map, complete with alternate bicycle routes. The focus area will be the U.S. Route 41 corridor, running north-south from Manatee Avenue to 26th Avenue in Bradenton. This stretch of road is notably the most dangerous thoroughfare in Manatee County in terms of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities.

Other low-cost, high-impact efforts to be undertaken in the beginning stages of the Complete Streets process may include road diets and lane re-striping, improvements in lighting, increased time programmed into crosswalk signals, and enhancements to existing bus stops and connecting sidewalks to better comply with ADA standards.

Passing a Complete Streets policy is a lengthy process and requires ongoing efforts. The funding from this grant will not cover all stages of the process, yet the passage of a Complete Streets policy amendment will establish the foundational requirements in the necessary transportation and planning regulations to set the process in motion to begin creating multimodal, user-friendly roadways. Given that many of the most problematic roads in Manatee County are state-owned, the ultimate goal of this project will be to garner state-level support to implement a Florida Complete Streets policy that will improve safety and health outcomes across the state.

There is currently widespread support for Complete Streets among multiple organizations in Manatee County, including the Building and Development Services and Public Works Departments, the Sarasota-Manatee MPO, bike/pedestrian advocacy committees, Safe Kids – Suncoast Chapter, the School District, and the Community Traffic Safety Team, as well as the Health Department. After the project period, these organizations will continue to provide representation on a coalition led by MCHD to implement future Complete Streets initiatives and evaluations within the county. The MPO’s Long-Term Plan through 2035 includes an allocation of $70 million to be used between the two counties for improvements to the U.S. 41 corridor, where the initial Complete Streets elements will be implemented. The Manatee County PWD will be responsible for maintaining and retrofitting roadways in compliance with the Complete Streets Policy. d) Can the policy solution be applied in other settings or communities?

As noted previously, Complete Streets policies have been passed in a variety of locations throughout the country, at both local and state levels, and in urban, rural, and suburban settings. Manatee County’s proposed project is unique in that it not only addresses current and future road development, but it also includes provisions for low-cost initiatives that provide safe alternatives to traveling by foot or bicycle along heavily trafficked thoroughfares. As funding is certainly a primary concern throughout the country, Manatee County’s innovative practice can and should be replicated where it is not feasible to reconstruct entire roadways to accommodate all users.

It will be beneficial for Manatee County to work collaboratively with its incorporated cities and neighboring counties such as Sarasota and Hillsborough, so as to ensure that the Complete Streets and transportation networks are continuous. Because many of the major thoroughfares in Manatee County and throughout Florida are state-owned, it will be advantageous to introduce a Complete Streets policy at the state level. This will ensure that state roads are built with all users’ safety in mind, and it will encourage county and city governments to pass local Complete Streets policies for the local roads, as well.

Work plan. Long-Term Goal: Improve health in Manatee County through increased physical activity and road safety, as well as decreased air pollution. Objective 1: Convene a Complete Streets

Activities: 1a. Invite partners via written and

Potential Partners: • MCHD

5

Coalition within Manatee County, including all supporting partners previously mentioned, by March 15, 2012.

telephone invitation. Potential partner are listed above as well as concerned citizens.

1b. Identify non-MCHD staff Coalition Chair. (This will encourage community involvement.)

1c. Work with partners to determine best time and location logistics for meeting.

1d. Hold monthly face-to-face meetings and bi-weekly conference or video conference calls, utilizing MCHD’s technology.

• BDSD, Transportation Planning Division

• Bradenton Department of Planning and Community Development

• Sarasota-Manatee MPO • Bicycle/Pedestrian

Advocacy Committee • Community Traffic Safety

Committee • School District • Safe Kids • Safe Routes to School • Sheriff’s Office • Manatee Memorial Hospital • Blake Medical Center • Concerned citizens

Justification, Challenges, and Solutions: MCHD has a long-standing history of hosting community-based coalitions. Most recent successes

include the policy-driven Tobacco Free Coalition and ACHIEVE (Action Communities for Health, Innovation and Environmental Change). These coalitions feature monthly meetings, bi-weekly conference calls, work plan adherence and non-MCHD staffed executive positions. (MCHD staff fulfill the role of educator and grant administrator.) These coalitions serve as the advocacy arm of MCHD’s work plan and are highly efficient and respected by locally elected officials.

The primary challenge will be inspiring partners to attend the meetings; however, the bike/pedestrian safety issue in Manatee County is a popular one. Previous bike/ped coalitions have already existed and those partners will be extended invitations. Additionally, all aforementioned partners have committed to attending meetings. Furthermore, MCHD has found that the video/tele-conference option encourages more partners to participate in meetings and that technology will be made available for this Coalition. Objective 2: Define Complete Streets and develop Public Works Engineering Standards and criteria for application to existing roadway improvements by August 15, 2012.

Activities: 2a. Work with the Manatee County

BDSD to hire a planning/engineering consultant.

2b. Manatee County Transportation Planning Staff and MCHD Staff meet with Consultant to discuss goals and expectations.

2c. Consultant attends all Coalition meetings and incorporates Coalition’s input into plan.

2d. Consultant holds weekly meetings with MCHD staff.

2e. Consultant provides training on engineering components of Complete Streets to Coalition members by April 2012.

Partners: • MCHD • Manatee County BDSD • Engineering Consultant • Coalition members

Justification, Challenges, and Solutions: The activities described above will ensure that the Complete Streets policy is written with as many

specifications as possible to retrofit the Manatee County roadways to benefit public health and

6

transportation improvements. A qualified engineering specialist must be hired to perform the technical tasks required of developing such a detailed Complete Streets policy; public health specialists do not have enough of the transportation planning and engineering background that is needed to specify design standards for roadways, and the current Transportation Planning Division cannot budget the extensive workload that will be handled by the hired consultant. The consultant will be integrated into the Coalition through his/her attendance at meetings and weekly reports to MCHD staff in order to combine engineering and public health efforts.

The primary challenge to this objective will be finding a qualified and available consultant to perform this job. The Transportation Planning Division in Manatee County and the Sarasota-Manatee MPO have many ties to engineering consultants in the area, a pool from which it is likely that a suitable match will be chosen.

Objective 3: Pass a Complete Streets Policy in Manatee County by October 15, 2012.

Activities: 3a. Attend a Manatee County

Board of Commissioners workshop where the Consultant, Coalition members and County Transportation Planning Staff will give a presentation on the policy and ask that it be placed on the agenda.

3b. Consultant, Coalition members and County Planning staff meet individually with Commissioners to explain the policy and answer any questions.

3c. A public hearing is held in which the policy is voted on as an amendment to the Manatee County Comprehensive Transportation Plan, Land Development Code, and Public Works Engineering Standards.

3d. A press release is issued to media.

Partners: • MCHD • Manatee County BDSD • Engineering Consultant • Coalition members • County Commissioners • News media outlets

including: Bradenton Herald, Bradenton Times, Herald Tribune

Justification, Challenges, and Solutions: The Manatee County BDSD stipulates that any changes to the Comprehensive Plan must be passed as

an amendment, voted on by County Commissioners. Meetings with representatives from this Department resulted in a recommendation to create Complete Streets amendments to both the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Development Code, as the two have overlapping policies regarding roadways, right of way, sidewalks, paths, and street lighting. Meeting individually with County Commissioners, who already support a Complete Streets policy, will provide an opportunity to explain the consultant’s recommendations for the process. MCHD staff will serve in the capacity of educators, and Coalition members will advocate for the cause.

A potential challenge to this objective could be earning the Commissioners’ vote; however there is already commitment from the County Commission to support the Complete Streets initiative (see attached letter of support). Objective 4: Begin implementation of Complete Streets policy by

Activities: 4a. Work with Transportation

Planning and Public Works

Partners: • MCHD

7

December 31, 2012.

staff to order signs for alternate bike routes in both English and Spanish.

4b. Erect signs for alternate bike route.

4c. Issue press releases in both English and Spanish about alternate bike routes.

4d. Work with MPO and Transportation Planning staff to educate the public, in both English and Spanish, about new roadway rules for bike lanes and sidewalks.

4e. Work with MPO and Transportation Planning staff to identify target roads for retrofitting.

4f. Work with MPO and Transportation Planning staff to identify future Florida Department of Transportation projects that align with new Complete Streets policy language.

• Manatee County BDSD • Manatee County PWD • Sarasota-Manatee MPO • News media outlets

including: Bradenton Herald, Bradenton Times, Herald Tribune

• Florida Department of Transportation

Justification, Challenges, and Solutions: Once a policy is passed, the PWD is obligated to abide by the policy guidelines. The Manatee County

BDSD has recommended beginning Complete Streets implementation with a low-cost, high-impact project to enhance safety and encourage physical activity. U.S. Route 41 has been designated by the Department as a dangerous corridor in Manatee County for pedestrian and bicyclists, as there are no existing bicycle lanes, and three lanes of traffic pass in each direction at rapid speeds. Designating an alternate bicycle route to bypass this thoroughfare will serve as a strong starting point for Complete Streets; future efforts will expand to other roads and projects (such as road diets and lane re-striping, sidewalk renovations, and street lighting). It is important to include Spanish language signs and educational components due to the vast Hispanic community in Manatee County. The Sarasota-Manatee MPO and BDSD are already committed to implementing Complete Streets in the region. These organizations will support continued efforts to ensure compliance to the policy, and they will work with MCHD to broaden the efforts to a state level in the future.

Challenges that could hinder progress on this objective include a lack of commitment and adherence to the amendment, but letters of support and partnership meetings provide assurance that the commitment among the County agencies is strong, and the passage of a written policy will enforce compliance from the PWD. Evaluation plan. Long-Term Goal: Improve health in Manatee County through increased physical activity and road safety, as well as decreased air pollution, as indicated by a 25% increase in physical activity levels, a 50% decrease in traffic-related bicyclist and pedestrian injuries, and a 10% reduction in chronic lower respiratory disease (including asthma) cases, by December 31, 2017 as compared to baseline on December 31, 2012. Outcome Measures Indicators Methods and Data Sources

8

• Reduction in traffic accidents involving bicyclists and pedestrians along the U.S. 41 corridor.

• Increase in physical activity

among Manatee County residents.

• Decrease in rates of chronic

lower respiratory diseases in Manatee County.

• Number of traffic crashes involving bicyclists or pedestrians along U.S. 41.

• Percent of Manatee County

residents who meet the recommendations for daily physical activity.

• Percent of Manatee County adults and children afflicted by chronic lower respiratory diseases, including asthma.

• Analysis of Department of Transportation traffic crash data on U.S. 41.

• Trauma reports from EMSTARS regarding severity of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities.

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data regarding pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities.

• Manatee County Behavioral Risk Factor and Surveillance Study data regarding physical activity levels.

• Florida CHARTS data regarding chronic lower respiratory disease prevalence.

Objective 1: Convene a Complete Streets Coalition within Manatee County, including all supporting partners previously mentioned, by March 15, 2012. Process Measures: • Coalition meeting held at

MCHD.

Indicators • Number of participants in

attendance at Coalition meeting.

Methods and Data Sources • Sign-in/attendance list at

meeting. Outcome Measures: • Commitment from coalition

members.

Indicators • Self-reported dedication to

participation in the Coalition and interest in promoting health in Manatee County.

Methods and Data Sources • Post-meeting evaluation

survey developed by MCHD determining interest in and commitment to Complete Streets and health promotion in Manatee County.

Objective 2: Define Complete Streets and develop Public Works Engineering Standards and criteria for application existing roadway improvements by August 15, 2012.

Process Measures: • Consultant position is

advertised and candidates are interviewed for hire.

• Meetings are held between

Transportation, MCHD and consultant.

• Consultant attends Coalition meetings.

• Consultant provides training

to Coalition members.

Indicators • Qualified consultant is hired. • Number of meetings held. • Number of Coalition meetings

held in which consultant is in attendance.

• Coalition members’ awareness of Complete Streets policy and implementation process.

Methods and Data Sources • Application review process

and interviews completed by Manatee County Transportation Planning Division.

• MCHD-Consultant meeting agendas and minutes.

• Coalition meeting sign-

in/attendance sheets. • Pre/post-training evaluation

survey developed by MCHD to assess improvements in knowledge and awareness.

9

• Consultant designs engineering cross-sections of roadways.

• Consultant defines Complete Streets for Manatee County.

• Cross-sections and Complete Streets policy language are developed and submit to Transportation Planning Division and PWD for review.

• Transportation Planning Division and PWD will review drafts.

Outcome Measures: • Consultant meets or exceeds

job performance qualifications.

• Thorough and explicit

Complete Streets policy language.

Indicators • Previous experience and

qualifications of consultant. • Policy language includes a

definition of Complete Streets and a clear description of the duties of Public Works officials to develop and maintain a Complete Streets network in Manatee County.

Methods and Data Sources • Consultant’s resume and

application; Transportation Planning Division review of qualifications and performance.

• Draft of policy language reviewed by Transportation Planning Division and MCHD.

Objective 3: Pass a Complete Streets Policy in Manatee County by October 15, 2012. Process Measures: • Hold meetings between

MCHD, Transportation Planning Division, and County Commissioners.

• Schedule and attend public hearing to pass policy.

• Submit press release to local news media.

Indicators • Number of meetings held with

individual County Commissioners.

• Voting results of public hearing.

• Number of press releases

submitted.

Methods and Data Sources • Meeting agendas and minutes. • Public hearing minutes and

recordings. • Press releases published in

local news media. Outcome Measures: • Passage of Complete Streets

policy.

Indicators • Complete Streets policy language

adopted as amendment to Manatee County Comprehensive Transportation Plan, Land Development Code, and Public Works Engineering Standards.

Methods and Data Sources • Written and published

amendments to Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Code, and Public Works Engineering Standards.

Objective 4: Begin implementation of Complete Streets policy by December 31, 2012. Process Measures: • Consultant identifies

alternate bicycle routes to bypass U.S. 41.

• Road signs are designed and signs and posts are purchased.

• Public Works installs road signs.

Indicators • Manatee County website

includes map of alternate bicycle routes.

• Number of road signs and posts purchased.

• Road signs on alternate bicycle

route are installed and visible.

Methods and Data Sources • Manatee County website

(mymanatee.org). • Purchase order and inventory

from Manatee County PWD. • Environmental scan performed

by MCHD staff to ensure proper placement and visibility of signage.

10

Outcome Measures: • Alternate bicycle routes are

utilized by pedestrians and bicyclists for fitness, pleasure, and commuting purposes.

Indicators • Number of pedestrians and

bicyclists in Manatee County who utilize the new bicycle routes.

Methods and Data Sources • Pre/post-implementation

survey assessing numbers of Manatee County residents who walk or bike on U.S. 41 prior to alternate route designation, as compared to numbers of those who utilize the alternate routes post-implementation.

Description of organizational capacity and partnerships.

The Manatee County Health Department (MCHD) is a well-respected agency within the community. MCHD retains the ability to influence key community agencies and partners at the highest levels, based on strong working relationships created over the past 20 years. The Manatee County Commission is supportive of the Health Department’s mission and this project; they will support the Complete Streets project with $35,000 worth of in-kind donations. MCHD’s relationships, with both public and private agencies, can be leveraged for the benefit of the Complete Streets project within the County and beyond.

MCHD has demonstrated immense fiscal responsibility with a long history of exceptional fiscal management. MCHD has an annual budget in excess of $9 million dollars, managed by Margaret Farmer, Finance and Accounting Director. Thanks to Ms. Farmer’s efforts, and the responsible leadership of Dr. Jennifer Bencie, Administrator, MCHD has demonstrated foresight in effectively managing funds and programs. Ms. Farmer has eight years of experience monitoring finances for various grant-funded programs within the Health Department and coordinating the activities of Fiscal, Purchasing, Human Resources, and Information Technology staff.

MCHD created a specific Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention structure within the health department. This additional entity allows maximizing chronic disease prevention through enhanced coordination and collaboration among various health promotion and chronic disease components. The organizational structure of MCHD’s Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Division consists of a Community Health Nurse Supervisor and a variety of program specialists. Megan Jourdan, Program Manager, has significant experience in advocating for and instituting health promotion and chronic disease prevention policies. Through a strong partnership with the Manatee County Commission, she has been able to create policies for tobacco-free campuses, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, healthy restaurants, worksite wellness, and farmers’ markets. Ms. Jourdan is dedicated to improving the health and quality of lives of others through policy and environmental changes in the community, and she will is highly motivated to see the Complete Streets policy project to fruition. Ms. Jourdan also has the assistance of a hard-working, passionate fellow from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who will play a key role in maintaining partnerships within the community for this project.

Dr. Jennifer Bencie, Health Department Administrator, is fully supportive of all health promotion policy work done for the community. She believes that health promotion and policy change will have the greatest influence on the future of public health, and she strongly encouraged taking advantage of the opportunity to apply for this grant. Dr. Bencie has a personal interest in physical activity and wellness, and is excited at the prospect of increased safety on our roadways to facilitate walking and bicycling for fitness and pleasure.

The Manatee County Health Department has the support of numerous agencies throughout the community, as the Complete Streets efforts will benefit those with goals related to safety, transportation, health, aesthetics, or economic development. Collaborations, goal sharing, and brainstorming sessions between MCHD and partners have been ongoing for several months, since the idea of creating a Complete Streets policy first arose in October 2011. Transportation agencies, including the Sarasota-Manatee MPO and the Manatee County BDSD, are committed to this project as it relates to their own organizational missions and goals.

11

Mr. Michael Howe, MPO Executive Director, has expressed his support and willingness to help make a Complete Streets policy become a reality not only for Manatee County, but also regionally with neighboring Sarasota County. (See attachments for Mr. Howe’s biosketch and letter of support.) The Sarasota-Manatee MPO’s 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan includes several objectives that either explicitly or implicitly reference the development of Complete Streets. The MPO’s goals include improving multimodal mobility, improving public health, and increasing safety in the transportation system, with supporting objectives such as “properly balancing roadway travel needs for autos with those of transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” “incorporating a ‘complete streets’ policy and context sensitive design into the development of transportation facilities and corridors,” and “improv[ing] public health and air quality by retrofitting roadways to encourage increased walking and bicycling activity for all trip purposes.” The MPO has also recently established a bicycle/pedestrian advocacy committee, led by Mr. David Hutchinson (see attached resume), with similar goals for fitness and safety among active community members. This committee will be represented on Manatee County’s Complete Streets Coalition.

The Manatee County BDSD, represented by Mr. Tony Rodriguez, Transportation Planning Official, and Mr. John Osborne, Director, (see attached resumes) has provided considerable input to MCHD regarding the Complete Streets process. The Department is in favor of developing a Complete Streets policy and putting in writing the regulations for engineering roadways and Public Works Standards. Currently, the Department follows a policy that complies with Complete Streets elements for all future roadways, but no written policy exists as of yet that will mandate retrofitting of roadways that do not accommodate all users. Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Osborne share the Health Department’s concerns about the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, especially on U.S. 41, and they are in full support of using this grant opportunity to help get the process underway. They will be involved in selecting the appropriate consultant to be hired with these funds, and advising him/her in carrying out the tasks required to draft Complete Streets policy language for the County’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan and Land Development Code.

MCHD has also been in contact with injury prevention organizations such as Safe Kids, Safe Routes to Schools, the Manatee County School District, and the Manatee County Community Traffic Safety Team, who are all supportive of a Complete Streets policy that will enhance safety for children and community members on the roads. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has also endorsed this project as a great opportunity to reduce traffic crashes and related injuries and fatalities (see attached letter of support). Capacity building.

CDC Best Practices are encouraging public health practitioners to move away from traditional health education and toward health policy with the understanding that public health policy affects more people over a longer amount of time than traditional health education. As such, public health practitioners need more specialized training to work on target policies. Working with the consultant will provide the MCHD staff and the Coalition with the type of hands-on training experience that has proven effective in Manatee County. This experience will increase the organizations’ capacity for contributing to these projects in the future.

Including a public health perspective in transportation and community design is important because the built environment has been proven to contribute to people’s overall health and well-being. This project will familiarize the health department staff with the community design process and will forge relationships with community design stakeholders, asserting the MCHD’s voice as integral and necessary in projects moving forward. MCHD staff already have created new relationships with MPO and County Planning staff through the grant application process alone, laying groundwork for future collaboration. All partners are excited about working together as this project unfolds.

12

Attachment A: Budget

The Power of Policy: Innovation to Improve Health Budget

Applicant Organization Name: Manatee County Health Department Line Item Justification Funding

Request Other

Funding Total

Personnel (staff and consultants) Engineering Consultant (TBD)

Consultant will plan and write Complete Streets policy for Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Code, and Public Works Design Standards ($48,000 annual salary x 100% time x 10-month funding period)

$40,000 $0 $40,000

Manatee County PWD Labor required to implement alternate bike route signage along US 41 corridor

$0 $5,400**

$5,400

Megan Jourdan, Manatee County Health Department, Program Manager

Program Manager will coordinate communications and partnership collaborations for this project ($42,162 annual salary x 10% time x 10-month funding period)

$0 $3513.50+ $3513.50

Tony Rodriguez, Transportation Planning Division, Consultant

Transportation Planning Consultant will coordinate between the Planning Division and PWD ($41/hour x 10 hours/month x 10-month funding period)

$0 $4,100§ $4,100

John Osborne, Transportation Planning Division, Consultant

Transportation Planning Consultant will coordinate between the Planning Division and PWD ($90,000 annual salary x 10% time x 10-month funding period)

$0 $7,500§ $7,500

Sub-Total $40,000 $20,513.50 $60,513.50

Travel

N/A $0 $0 $0

Sub-Total $0 $0 $0

Supplies

40 Alternate Bike Route Directional Signs

Direct pedestrians and bicyclists to alternate routes that bypass busy thoroughfares ($40 per sign x 40 signs)

$0 $1,600**

$1,600

40 Sign Posts 40 posts to hold 1 directional sign each ($45 per post x 40 posts)

$0 $1,800**

$1,800

Sub-Total $0 $3,400 $3,400

13

Other costs (e.g., telephone, postage, printing, photocopying, and equipment rental) Amendment Fee Fee required for text amendment to

Comprehensive Plan $0 $20,000§

$20,000

Sub-Total $0 $20,000 $20,000

Total $40,000.00 $43,913.50 $83,913.50 * Sarasota-Manatee MPO ** Manatee County PWD + State of Florida § Manatee County BDSD

Budget Narrative: Personnel:

An engineering consultant will be hired by the Manatee County BDSD at an annual salary of $48,000 for the 10-month funding period, totaling $40,000 from APHA. This consultant will be responsible for establishing criteria for roads in the County for retrofit projects; engineering cross-sections (i.e. designing elements of Complete Streets for all varieties of road and intersection classifications) to be included in the County’s Public Works Engineering Standards; drafting goals, objectives, and policies to add to the County’s Comprehensive Plan; providing a web-based GIS inventory of available transit, bicyclist, and pedestrian infrastructure resources and alternate routes on the Manatee County website; and drafting amendments to the County’s Land Development Code.

Manatee County PWD staff will be responsible for carrying out the tasks needed to comply with the written Complete Streets policy. As identified in the project description, the initial Complete Streets duties of the PWD will be to install directional signage guiding community members to alternate bicycle routes that bypass the most dangerous road in the county, U.S. 41. The labor involved to install 40 signs on 20 posts will total $5,400, provided as an in-kind donation from the PWD.

Ms. Megan Jourdan will serve as Program Manager at the Manatee County Health Department, coordinating efforts and communications among all agencies involved, and serving as a point of contact for APHA funding allocations. She will spend an estimated 10% of her working hours on this project for the 10-month period, totaling $3513.50 of her annual salary paid in-kind by the State of Florida.

Mr. Tony Rodriguez and Mr. John Osborne will represent the Manatee County BDSD to work on this initiative. They will coordinate efforts between the Transportation Planning Division and the PWD, in addition to overseeing the selection and work of the hired engineering consultant. Mr. Rodriguez works at an hourly rate of $41 per hour and will commit 10 hours per month on this project. Over a 10-month period, he will donate 100 hours and $4,100 worth of personnel time. Mr. Osborne earns an annual salary of $90,000 and will commit 10% of his time to this project through the funding period, for a total donation of $7,500 worth of personnel time. This totals $11,600 of in-kind donations from the BDSD. Supplies:

After the policy is passed, road signs and sign posts will be purchased in-kind by the PWD to comply with the policy’s regulations for alternate bicycle routes. The signs will serve the purpose of directing individuals to alternate bicycle routes to bypass U.S. Route 41 from 26th Avenue to Manatee Avenue, approximately 20 blocks. Two signs will be posted (one in each direction) on every block, for a total of 40 signs and 40 sign posts. Road signs typically cost $40 each and posts cost $45 each. 40 signs at $40 each totals $1,600, and 40 sign posts at $45 each totals $1,800. Other Costs:

A text amendment to the Manatee County Comprehensive Transportation plan typically requires a $20,000 fee that will be waived as an in-kind donation from the Manatee County BDSD.

14

Attachment B: Staff and Partner Resumes

15

16

Jennifer Bencie, MD, MSA

Administrator

In August 2009, Jennifer Bencie became the Administrator of the Manatee County Health Department,

Florida Department of Health. She oversees a staff of 140, and a $10 million budget. The agency is

involved in many community projects including worksite wellness, pediatric and overseas travel

immunizations and environmental health monitoring. Dr. Bencie previously served as the Director,

Division of Emergency Medical Operations for the Florida Department of Health in Tallahassee.

The Division is comprised of the four Offices of Public Health Preparedness, Emergency Operations,

Trauma and Injury Prevention, as well as the Bureau of EMS and the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury

Program. Including the CDC and ASPR federal grants, the division budget is approximately $200 million.

Dr. Bencie is the former Administrator, Seminole County Health Department, (Sanford, FL) as well

as Health /Medical Co-chair for the Region 5 Domestic Security Task Force, comprising nine counties in

central Florida. Jennifer has also served as Acting Director, Miami-Dade County Health Department,

Assistant Director, Orange County (Orlando, FL) Health Department and Assistant Professor, Florida

State University College of Medicine. Dr. Bencie has also been a member of numerous national

bioterrorism committees, such as NACCHO (National Association of County/City Health Officials) and the

US Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate and the US

Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Homeland Security Research Center, and as well as

local organizations including the Bradenton Kiwanis, United Way, Arts and Health Coalition, Suncoast

Workforce and Manatee County Medical Society.

Prior to her years of service with the Florida Department of Health, Dr. Bencie was an assistant director

at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics. She received her undergraduate degree from

Brown University, her medical degree from UAG, Mexico and her master's degree in health

administration from Central Michigan University at Fort Gordon, Georgia.

17

BIO

Michael P. Howe, J.D. Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

Executive Director

A native of the Kansas City area, Michael and his wife Marsha relocated to Bradenton in 2000 after several years of vacations to our area. He is a 1976 graduate of Rockhurst University in Kansas City with a B.A. in Industrial Relations, Magna Cum Laude. In 1979, he received his Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

For six years Michael served as Assistant City Attorney and then Deputy City Attorney for the City of Kansas City, Kansas where he was responsible for planning and development issues and litigation facing the City including transportation.

In 1986 he joined the City of Lenexa, a high growth suburban community of Kansas City (highest rate in 1980's) as City Attorney. During his ten year tenure in Lenexa, Michael developed and managed a six member Legal Department and guided the municipality through all of its explosive growth and intergovernmental issues including numerous road, bridge, and highway projects in conjunction with Kansas Department of Transportation and federal agencies. He drafted the Kansas City Area’s first transportation based development impact fee ordinance.

In 1996 he became a member-partner in a large Midwestern law firm of Lewis, Rice & Fingerish, L.L.C. serving in their Litigation Department and specializing in government, land use and development, and environmental law.

Upon his arrival to Florida, Michael was the Director of Zoning Services, Florida Area of American Tower Corporation, an international telecommunications infrastructure company where he managed a staff of 15 planning professionals in four offices throughout Florida. He was responsible for all land use (zoning-special permits) applications to cities and counties pertaining to cellular communication towers for all the major providers (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, etc.). Michael assisted numerous cities and counties in their communication ordinance rewrites and has appeared before city and county boards and commissions throughout Florida.

Michael is the author of several published papers regarding planning and development law and the attorney of record in five planning and development cases before the Kansas Supreme Court. He is a member of the Kansas and Missouri Bars, several federal courts and the United States Supreme Court.

In 2002, Michael joined the Sarasota/Manatee MPO as its Planning Manager responsible for overseeing all planning programs, project development, intergovernmental coordination, public involvement, public transportation and special projects of the MPO. In July, 2005 he was appointed Executive Director of the MPO responsible for all organizational activities and implementation of all policy directives and decisions of the 15 member Sarasota/Manatee MPO Board of elected and gubernatorial appointed officials. He was elected Chair (2008-2010) of the MPO Advisory Council Directors representing all 26 MPOs in the State and is currently the Chair of the MPOAC Revenue Study Committee.

18

DAVID L. HUTCHINSON David L. Hutchinson serves as Planning Manager for the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning

Organization (MPO). His multidisciplinary generalist background spans 30 years and combines planning,

public policy and administration. Hutchinson’s duties involve regional transportation planning and

relationships to land use, economic development, environmental science, safety and security,

infrastructure interdependencies, and sustainability/livability.

Previously, Hutchinson served as Planning Director for the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council

(SWFRPC). He represented the Council in regional transportation planning matters, and oversaw

Development of Regional Impact (DRI) and Comprehensive Plan reviews. Before that, he served as

senior policy analyst for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Office of Policy Planning in

Tallahassee; his work involved statewide transportation planning, concurrency and growth

management issues including troubleshooting situations throughout Florida. He provided technical

assistance and presented training for FDOT Districts and local governments. Prior to that he served as

intergovernmental liaison for FDOT's District One Southwest Area Office in Fort Myers. He is a full

member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the American Planning Association, and the

Florida Planning & Zoning Association.

He served as a member of four Metropolitan Planning Organization Technical Advisory Committees--for

Sarasota, Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties, as a member of the Tampa Bay Area Transportation

Authority (TBARTA) Land Use Working Group, and as a member of FDOT’s Southwest Florida

Transportation Model Coordinating Committee. He managed the SWFRPC’s “Creating Better Places:

Transit-Oriented Development Design Competition” which received an “Excellence in Regional

Transportation Award” from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) in 2010.

Hutchinson served on the Project Working Group for the “Guide for Review and Assessment of Local

Mobility Plans” produced by the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of

South Florida for FDOT, as a Stakeholder for the FDOT and Florida Department of Community Affairs

(DCA) “Joint Report on the Mobility Fee Methodology Study,” and on the Technical Team for the DCA

“Transportation Concurrency Best Practices Guide.”

He also served as a member of the FDOT Site Impact Handbook Technical Team assembled by CUTR, and

as a member of the statewide Working Group for the FDOT Corridor Management/Growth

Management Study directed by CUTR. He also served on the Technical Advisory Panel assembled by

FDOT to assist the Department in developing a Community Capture methodology for analyzing regional

traffic impacts of new, sustainable (or self-sustaining) communities.

Before moving to Florida, Hutchinson was County Administrator and Administrator/Assistant Road

Supervisor in Grand County, Utah. His duties included serving on the County’s Development Review

Committee, overseeing runway and hangar improvements at the Canyonland Fields airport, planning

and economic development activities, and advising the Planning Commission. He was instrumental in

infrastructure, corridor planning, telecommunications, and regional geographic information system (GIS)

collaboration initiatives. Before that, he served as Legislative Aide and represented the San Diego

County Board of Supervisors in a wide range of community and regional planning processes involving

transportation (including roads, light rail, transit), other public works activities, public safety, and

economic development.

19

TONY RODRIGUEZ, AICP

Phone: (941) 748-4501 Ext. 6879 Email: tony.rodriguez@mymanatee.org

Twenty-two years public and private sector experience within the areas of policy, management, planning and engineering.

Professional Career Transportation Planning Official, Building and Development Services, Manatee County, FL Deputy Director, Transportation Management, Public Works, Manatee County, FL Deputy Director/Transportation Division Manager, Public Works, City of Tampa, FL Base Community Planner, Chugach Management Services Inc., MacDill Air Force Base, FL Project Manager, Dames & Moore Group, Tampa, FL Research Assistant, Center for Urban Transportation Research, Tampa, FL Project Engineer, Eastes & Associates, Inc., Tampa, FL Civic Involvement Leadership Manatee, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, 2011-2012 Class Transportation Committee, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Member Operations Committee of the Super Bowl XLIII Task Force, Chair Traffic Subcommittee Friends of Clean City Tampa, Board Member/Initial Executive Director Military Affairs Committee, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Past Member Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, Past Commissioner (Ex-Officio) Air Force Integrated Process Team (IPT) on Comprehensive Planning, Past Member Facilities/Equipment Committee, Bel-Mar Presbyterian Church, Past Chair Finance Committee, Heritage Isles Community Council, Past Chair Academic Background Graduate coursework in Public Administration, Troy University, Tampa, Florida B.S.C.E., Civil Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida A.A., Engineering, Saint Petersburg Junior College, Clearwater, Florida Professional Affiliations American Planning Association/American Institute of Certified Planners American Public Works Association Institute of Transportation Engineers (Past President, University of South Florida Chapter) Eno Transportation Leadership Development Foundation (Charter Eno Fellow, 1993) Order of the Engineer Certifications Certified Planner, American Institute of Certified Planners Engineer Intern, Florida Board of Professional Engineers

Attachment C: Letters of Support

20

21

22