Surgeon General Murthy will be launching a Call to Action on Promoting Walking and Walkable Communities on September 9th at 10:00 a.m. ET. Details about how to watch the Webcast will be available on the Surgeon General’s website (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov) on the morning of September 9th.
The Call to Action will highlight the significant health burden that exists in the U.S. today due to physical inactivity – contributing to more than 10% of the preventable mortality in America today. More specifically, it will make recommendations to a number of key sectors about critical actions they can take to improve community walkability and increase walking throughout the U.S..
Because of potential synergies between the Call to Action and priorities within both APA and APA South Carolina organization – you, your colleagues, and your members/partners might be interested in watching the launch and finding out more about the Call and ways that you all might help address this increasing health threat.
Specifics within the Call dovetail nicely with the APA priorities listed in several Policy Guides, including:
- Our transportation networks must serve all users equitably, whether they walk, ride a bicycle, take transit, or use an automobile. Investment benefits and burdens should be shared equitably among all population groups within communities…We can reduce negative impacts to public health by improving roadway user safety, improving air quality, promoting physical activity and fitness, increasing community cohesion, improving access to medical services, and increasing transportation affordability. We need to expand transportation options that promote healthy lifestyles and a safe environment.
- APA supports federal and state incentives and local initiatives that encourage locating new development, especially the development of public facilities, in areas that are supported by a balanced transportation network that provides a variety of transportation choices and supports more active, healthy lifestyles for people of all ages and abilities.
- APA supports changes to roadway design standards that promote and support the use of transit and non-motorized transportation modes, including walking and biking, especially to accommodate and promote the implementation of “Complete Streets” policies and plans.
- APA supports policies and plans that place street, sidewalk, bike, and other pathway interconnectivity as a high priority in the development of transportation systems and land-use development policies, plans, and projects.
For more information about the larger effort, you can visit the Surgeon General’s website at: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/priorities/active-living or you can visit the website of the coalition that is forming to collaborate on efforts to increase walking and walkability at: EveryBody Walk Collaborative! (http://everybodywalk.org/). In addition you can contact Kate Kraft, the National Coalition Director, at kkraft@americawalks.org for more information.
