| Local Policy Description: | Promote Walk to School Programs
"Shape up Somerville" is a three-year project through the Tufts University School of Nutrition aimed at helping Somerville parents and children learn strategies to avoid obesity and its associated health risks. The Tufts team will look for ways to create safe walking routes to the city's 10 elementary schools to increase students' daily physical activity. The Commission supports this and other activities that train young people to use their own power rather than relying on cars for transportation.
Promote Use of Bicycles as Primary Vehicles
The City of Somerville should promote the use of bicycles as primary vehicles by commuters and residents and should implement education programs in schools and businesses to promote the safe use of bicycles and to raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities of cyclists in and around Somerville. These programs should include primers on state and city traffic laws as they apply to bicycles, in order to encourage cooperative relationships between drivers and cyclists in
Somerville. In addition, programs should be instituted to more clearly mark Somerville city streets and bike lanes; to encourage synergistic use of bicycles and buses and trains; to raise awareness among individuals and business owners as to the needs of bicycle users in Somerville; to install bike racks and locking rings in heavy traffic areas of the city; and to revise zoning rules requiring that there be bicycle access to developed areas. Finally, Somerville should continue work on the planned bike path extension. There are five distinct projects within this action item: bikepath extension, community education programs, installation of locking rings and bike racks in high traffic areas, lining and maintenance of roads, and modification of city zoning rules to improve bicycle access
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