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2016: Communicating the Connection Transportation and Public Health

Why don’t they understand? Transportation professionals often find it challenging to communicate critical transportation concepts to a non-technical audience. While some have found tools, graphics, or just the right words to convey their message, research tells us that transportation professionals still face a largely uninformed public.

In 2007, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Planning and Environment Group launched a new competition looking for fresh and creative methods for communicating technical transportation issues with “John and Jane Q. Public” to share with others within the profession. For 2016, the competition theme focused on communicating the connection between transportation and public health.

Traditionally, practitioners have focused on designing and building transportation systems to meet the needs of growing populations and economies and to improve access to work, school, shopping and recreation. We have learned that these systems may come with detrimental side effects that can result in serious health concerns. The link between health and transportation has grown closer and manifests itself in many ways. Some examples include: lack of exercise due to dependence on motor vehicles, rather than alternate transportation modes such as walking or biking; negative health effects resulting from motor vehicle crashes; the spread of infectious diseases through human contact; negative health effects and chronic diseases from transportation air pollutants and lack of physical activity; reactions to weather disasters and emergency response; and public access, accessibility and social equity.

Health-related issues are now considered when developing transportation plans and programs. In fact, the words “public health” can now be found in transportation plans, performance measurements and policy decisions. Considerable efforts are under way to ensure the public has input into the health-related aspects of transportation plans, projects and activities.

Four recipients were selected for the competition showcase for their successful communication efforts. The communications tools and techniques they used epitomize the spirit of communicating complex information in an uncomplicated manner.

Competition Winner

Taking it to the Street: Traffic-Calming Pop-Up Demonstrations as a Planning and Public Health Tool

Trailnet

St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrians. In the United States, 12 percent of fatal traffic crashes involve pedestrians; in St. Louis, that figure is 36 percent. The Missouri Chapter of the American Planning Association collaborated with Trailnet, the Healthy Eating Active Living Partner- ship, the City of St. Louis, and community residents to tackle the concern over traffic-related deaths by hosting four pop-up traffic calming demonstrations. These successful demonstrations showcased proven methods of slowing traffic and increasing safety with traffic calming designs. The demonstrations were used to educate community members, elected officials, and city staff about how to create safer, more vibrant and healthier communities. A how-to guide and toolkit were developed to expand the program. The team collected data following the demonstrations, which illustrated the success of the program and led to permanent crosswalk enhancements by an elementary school, a permanent intersection mural, and a beautification project for traffic calming, among other improvements. Contact: Grace Kyung, grace@trailnet.org

Runner Ups

Nora and Wes – Our Quest for Clean Air

NWAQC – Northwest Air Quality Communicators

Originally drafted on a napkin, this classroom-ready activity book for students in grades K-3, identifies air pollution problems and solutions through coloring, educational activities and vocabulary. It is available free of charge online, so teachers and parents can print a copy for their kids and work through the material in the classroom or at home at the kitchen table. The follow-up to the K-3 book was a full-color graphic novel for grades 4-6, with age-appropriate material to help students learn about air pollution challenges in the Pacific Northwest. The novel was funded by a Washington State Department of Ecology grant, which allowed for involving a local graphic artist to make the book come to life. The original characters grow up in the follow-up novel.

Contact: Mathew Kwartin, mkwa461@ecy.wa.gov

TDM Program Works to Improve Air Quality by Eliminating 4,234 Tons of Emissions

Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT)

TravelWise, a UDOT program, and other partners came together with a goal to reduce Utah’s air pollution and its negative effects on health, the environment and the economy. The result was a traffic demand management program—the “Clear the Air Challenge.” The annual, month-long Challenge encouraged participants to reduce vehicle emissions by choosing alternatives to driving alone. The Challenge was issued to individuals, teams and employers and response over the past seven years has been astounding. Within just the first year of the program, it had become one of the most recognized air quality initiatives in Utah, if not the country. Utilizing competition, working in teams and recognizing accomplishments, the Challenge made a positive impact on air quality in Utah by eliminating 4,234 tons of emissions.Contact: Eileen Barron, ebarron@utah.gov

Honorable Mention

Infographic: Living Near Busy Roads or Traffic Pollution

Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center/Children’s Environmental Health Center, University of Southern California (USC)The Community Outreach and Engagement Program of the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center based at USC has worked with community organizations in the Southern California region and beyond around the issue of how goods movement affects public health. The "Living Near Busy Roads" infographic communicates how various modes of transportation create pollution and its effects on health across an individual’s lifespan. The developers selected and organized a list of the most significant and impactful research findings related to the health effects of near roadway pollution that were incorporated within the infographic.

Contact: Wendy Gutschow, wgutscho@usc.edu

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