Urbana City Council Goals Promote Community Health and Wellness

The draft 2009-2013 Urbana City Council and Mayor Goals represent core principles that will guide city governance and planning over the next four years. The goals address six key areas: Public Safety, Financial Sustainability, Economic Development, Downtown Development, Environmental Sustainability, and Quality of Life.

The Council also developed strategies to help guide the community toward reaching these goals. Described below are several of the strategies that will enhance opportunities for healthy eating and active living in Urbana and help promote communitywide health and wellness.

Strategy: Become a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly community that promotes sustainable transportation modes.

a. Implement the Bicycle Master Plan and continue to incorporate bicycle facilities as the city expands or redevelops.

b. Develop community-wide bicycle safety education programs and provide appropriate enforcement, education and signage for bike routes.

c. Support the Safe Routes to School program to encourage walking and biking to school.

d. Adopt a "complete streets" policy that promotes pedestrian, bicycle and public transit.

e. Work with other agencies to develop regional recreational facilities such as the "Rails to Trails" project between Urbana and Danville.

Strategy: Promote production, accessibility and affordability of local farm and artisan products.

a. Develop a Strategic Plan and appoint an Advisory Board for the Urbana Market at the Square.

b. Implement use of Electronic Benefits Transfer cards at the Urbana Market.

c. Establish a "Friends of the Market" not-for-profit organization to raise funds for educational programming, artistic events, infrastructure improvements and other needs.

d. Establish a year-round, permanent location for the Market with a commerical kitchen that can be rented by vendors. This could expand the types of products offered, provide opportunities for small businesses, and provide space for classes in food preservation and preparation.

Strategy: Encourage sustainable landscaping and gardening.
a. Consider installation of a model community garden at the Urbana City Building.

Strategy: Promote continued intergovernmental cooperation.

a. Work with school and park district officials to ensure that recreational opportunities are available to youth in underserved neighbhorhoods, especially in east and north Urbana.

b. Explore development of community centers or meeting spaces to serve the needs of youth and adults related to education, training, guided activities and communication technologies.

c. Adopt the Mayor's Action Challenge for Children and Families sponsored by the National League of Cities.

The City Council will adopt these Goals in late January or early February, 2010. For more information, view the complete list at: Urbana City Council and Mayor Goals, 2009-2013.

Other resources:

Safe Routes to Schools
Urbana Market at the Square

Light the Night Bike Light Campaign

On October 15th a group of intrepid volunteers braved cold drizzle and installed 450 bike light sets on bicycles on the U of I campus between 4:30 ad 8:30 PM to improve the visibility of cyclists at night. Many cyclists were caught in the dark with the early sunsets during winter.



Cyclists waited in long lines to get a free bike light set. The event was sponsored by the members of a group names the Campus Area Transportation Study (CATS), The Bike Project, and Champaign County Bikes.

Why are we advocating for people to make more trips by bicycle you may ask? There are many reasons, but the most important reasons are:

• Bicycling for short trips on a regular basis is good exercise.
• Bicycling is the most efficient form of transportation in terms of Green House Gas emissions.
• Bicycling takes less space and is a less expensive form of transportation than driving cars.
  
• Bicycling reduces the costs to cities and businesses by requiring fewer roads to be built and maintained and less parking.
• Bicycling is safer. When a car that weighs several thousand pounds crashes into another car, a pedestrian, or a cyclist the chance of serious injury or death occurring is much higher than a crash with a bicycle.

We understand that switching from driving to bicycling is a bit daunting. But, if you take it in small steps it can be fun and easier than you think. Here are some resources if you are interested in exploring how to make bicycling a bigger part of your life.

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>The CIF 2 Mile Challenge: http://www.2milechallenge.com

When leaving the house every morning: do you reach for the car keys or the bike lock? We created the CLIF 2 Mile Challenge in 2007 because that little pedal-powered machine gets little love in comparison to its 4-wheeled roadway counterpart. Haven’t ridden on two wheels since you were small? Does your bike live with the lawn mower, gathering dust in the garage? Maybe your old ride could use a modern overhaul to handle kids or gear? Have no fear! Our Build Your Bike tool can outfit the right bike for your needs.














>Active Transportation Alliance: http://www.activetrans.org/commute

We can help you every step of the way. You have been curious about it, now here is your chance to discover the ease and delight of commuting by bicycle. This is the place for you to learn everything you need to make your commute by bike comfortable and safe. Commuting by bike is for anyone who wants to bike to and from work or school. Not sure about biking on that power-meeting day? Use our guides to learn the tricks to arrive at work looking fresh and sharp.

Several community organizations were heavily involved in the success of these events.

Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District: http://www.cumtd.com/goinggreenmtd/Bicycling.aspx

City of Champaign: http://ci.champaign.il.us/transportation/bicycles

City Urbana: http://www.city.urbana.il.us/Urbana

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:gdcsvrTft4UJ:www.dps.uiuc.edu/iwatch/apr08.pdf+cycling+on+campus&hl=en&gl=us&sig=AFQjCNGpFGEfVxO6qi1Cv8MV34tuEAgRgQ

Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study: http://www.ccrpc.org/planning/transportation/transportation.php

The Bike Project (TBP) http://www.thebikeproject.org is a nonprofit bike coop dedicated to providing cyclists with access to a space, tools, and a community to repair bikes, share knowledge, hold classes, and advocate for bikes in Urbana-Champaign. Most of the volunteers who installed lights are members of The Bike Project.

Champaign County Bikes (CCB) http://www.champaigncountybikes.org is a bicycle advocacy group dedicated to making Champaign County the most bicycle friendly county in the Midwest. Many of the volunteers belong to both organizations.