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<td>MnDOT, MDH respond to Surgeon General's call to action
on walkability</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Thu, 10 Sep 2015 18:38:05 +0000</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Gillach, James (DOT) <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:james.gillach@state.mn.us"><james.gillach@state.mn.us></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td>#DOT_ALLCOMM <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ALLCOMM.DOT@state.mn.us"><ALLCOMM.DOT@state.mn.us></a></td>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">Minnesota Department of
Transportation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">Minnesota Department of
Health
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:maroon">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial
Narrow","sans-serif";color:#003F4B"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1
style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:2.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:normal"><span
style="font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">News
Release<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:9.0pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:312.75pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-312.75pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sept.
10,
2015
Contact:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:9.0pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:312.75pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-312.75pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">
Sue Roe (Transportation)
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">
651-366-4268<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">
</span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Susan.Roe@state.mn.us"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Susan.Roe@state.mn.us</span></a><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:9.0pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:310.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Scott
Smith (Health)<br>
651-201-5806<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:9.0pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:310.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:Scott.Smith@state.mn.us"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Scott.Smith@state.mn.us">Scott.Smith@state.mn.us</a></span></a><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:9.0pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:310.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Minnesota
is on pace with U.S. Surgeon General’s call for walkable
communities<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";letter-spacing:-.5pt">MnDOT,
Department of Health step up with statewide pedestrian
plan<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">ST.
PAUL, Minn. -
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Minnesota is well
positioned to respond to U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek
Murthy’s call Sept. 9 to promote health through walking and
walkable communities.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Vivek’s
announcement articulates the health benefits of walking
while addressing the fact that many communities lack safe
and convenient places for individuals to walk or wheelchair
roll. The Surgeon General called on community planners and
local leaders to create more areas for walking and
wheelchair rolling and to prioritize the development of safe
routes for children to get to and from schools.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Minnesota is
already taking action. The Minnesota departments of
transportation and health recently entered an interagency
agreement to promote health and are working on the state’s
first statewide pedestrian plan. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">“The Surgeon
General’s call to action about walking and walkable
communities affirms the importance of developing an
accessible walking environment,” said MnDOT Commissioner
Charlie Zelle. “We look forward to creating the first
pedestrian plan in the state that will identify ways we can
make communities more safe and convenient to walk and roll.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">MnDOT and
MDH are gathering input from the public to help establish
the vision, goals and recommendations for the pedestrian
system plan. The plan will help develop new projects,
policies and programs; a draft plan is expected in 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">“Making our
communities walkable is a critical health issue,” said
Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Ed Ehlinger. “Investing
in a pedestrian plan that brings together transportation
officials, city planners, parks, businesses and health
officials will result in safer environments for pedestrians
and health benefits for generations to come.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The agencies
are hosting focus groups, listening sessions, community
gatherings and online engagement activities to gather public
input for the statewide pedestrian plan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">More
information about the Minnesota project, online activities
and the in-person engagement schedule is available at
</span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.minnesotago.org/walks"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt">www.minnesotago.org/walks</span></a><span
style="font-size:12.0pt">. For more information, contact
</span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Jasna.Hadzic@state.mn.us"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt">Jasna.Hadzic@state.mn.us</span></a><span
style="font-size:12.0pt"> or
</span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Amber.Dallman@state.mn.us"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt">Amber.Dallman@state.mn.us</span></a><span
style="font-size:12.0pt">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">To read the
Surgeon General’s Call to Action and learn how to promote
walking and walkable communities, visit
</span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.surgeongeneral.gov"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt">www.surgeongeneral.gov</span></a><u><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">.<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p><span
style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The call to
action suggests that these designs should include sidewalks,
curb cuts, crosswalks, safe crossings for the visually
impaired and more green spaces. The Surgeon General further
calls on city managers, law enforcement and community and
public health leaders to address safety concerns by better
maintaining public spaces, working with residents to promote
a shared sense of community ownership, ensuring proper
street lighting and fostering neighborhood watch programs. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;background:white"
align="center"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">###</span><span
style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sue Roe<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communications Office<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">651-366-4268<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cell: 651-503-2467<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:susan.roe@state.mn.us">susan.roe@state.mn.us</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
Minnesota Department of Transportation<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">395 John Ireland Blvd.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">St. Paul, MN <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.mndot.gov/">www.mndot.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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