[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Proposed Change to Transportation Master Plan

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Young, Mary

Dear Colleagues,

In anticipation of next week's discussion of the TMP, I would like to propose a change to the Social impact under the Community Sustainability Assessments and Impacts at the beginning of the memo.

Current language:
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Enhanced travel options improve access for all community members. Improved transit access is particularly important to seniors, people with low incomes and people with disabilities. Recent research shows that transit riders
 tend to walk more and be healthier than auto commuters while neighborhood accessibility is an increasing focus related to public health for both children and adults. Increased walking and biking by all segments of the community will contribute to a healthier
 population. The increased focus on transit, accessibility and TDM will have multiple benefits to the community, including expanding transportation choices for those with low-income, older adults and children.

Proposed language:
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Equitable access to mobility is an important goal of this plan. Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure has fewer external costs and makes up only a small fraction of the total cost to build and maintain our overall transportation
 infrastructure.* Improved transit access is particularly important to teenagers and seniors, people with low incomes and people with disabilities. In the United States, the poorest fifth of American families spend over 40 percent of their income on owning
 and maintaining a car. Increased walking and biking by all segments of the community will contribute to a healthier and more resilient population. The increased focus on equity, accessibility and improved Transportation Demand Management will have multiple
 benefits on our community, including the expansion of transportation options for all.


The asterisk is a footnote represented by the attached graphic and is taken from the Victoria Transport Institute's 2013 report titled
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 Roads? Evaluating Bicyclists’ and Pedestrians’ Right to Use Public Roadways". The full report can be found at
http://www.vtpi.org/whoserd.pdf.


While the language of the proposed TMP does not currently emphasize equity, I would like to have it do so. To begin a move in that direction, I would also ask that you consider that in every case where the modes are mentioned that
 they be in an order representative of a focus on equity: pedestrian, bicycle, transit and automobile.


I would also like to see the language throughout the TMP take on more of an emphasis on equity.


Thank you for your consideration and look forward to next week's discussion.


Regards,






Mary
 Dolores Young
Boulder City Council Member
303-501-2439
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