Friday, October 8, 2010

Marin County Recognized by U.S. Department of Transportation

Marin County Recognized by U.S. Department of Transportation
RTC TrailBlog » Marin County Recognized by U.S. Department of Transportation
Established in 2005 as part of the federal transportation bill, the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP) allocated $25 million to each of four pilot communities: Marin County, Calif.; Minneapolis, Minn., Columbia, Mo.; and Sheboygan County, Wis. The program was designed to help these communities complete active transportation systems, thereby shifting substantial numbers of trips from driving to walking and bicycling. Five years in, the program has already yielded huge results, and Marin County was just awarded the 2010 Exemplary Human Environment Initiatives (EHEI) award by the U.S. Department of Department.

Marin County's flagship initiative through the NTPP is WalkBikeMarin, which aims to make Marin more healthy, livable and environmentally sustainable by encouraging walking and bicycling as everyday transportation options. The EHEI award in the Education and Training Programs category honored WalkBikeMarin for "using a range of education and encouragement activities to promote walking and bicycling."

"This award highlights Marin County's success at maximizing the synergy between infrastructure investment and education in implementing the NTPP program to accomplish a shift from auto transportation to walking and biking," says Marianne Fowler, senior vice president of federal relations for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC).
EHEI awards recognize outstanding examples of transportation projects that either create or improve conditions for human activities while protecting the natural environment. Ten projects received EHEI recognition nationwide.
You can find detailed updates and fact sheets on NTPP accomplishments in all four communities at RTC's website.
Posted Tue, Oct 5 2010 9:38 AM by Karl Wirsing (RTC) Filed under: , , , ,
Posted by at