Inability to walk/bike to school leads to EPA non-attainment
By [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 08:08:30 -0400
From: "Michael Malak" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Inability to walk/bike to school leads to EPA non-attainment
The recent court ruling that made the EPA's non-attainment rules apply
to the DC area have triggered a search for some of the causes. One has
turned out to be the huge fleets of belching diesel school buses.
So not only has Conventional Suburban Development in suburban counties
led to large-acreage high-capacity schools that discourage walking and
bicycle and increase child obesity (and a lifetime pattern of unhealthy
living, and an extra $300/year in medical costs), it has led to a series
of "Code Red" days and even a "Code Purple" day this summer, and it has
led to a curtailment of federal transportation funds for this gridlocked
region.
There are many reasons why Conventional Suburban Development came to be
across the country and in the DC area. One of the reasons was racism,
including "white flight" from cities. An interesting quote from a
Fairfax County Assistant Superintendent from the 1960's appears below.
Perhaps some of the Code Red days in Northern Virginia can be traced
back to racism?
Whatever the reason, it's time to encourage walking and bicycling to
school in Fairfax County. And that means:
* Allowing new schools (public and private) to be built with less
land, nestled inside neighborhoods, with sidewalk connections, and
with bicycle parking (perhaps even secure bicycle parking,
especially for high schools)
* Allowing private schools (including church schools) to be built in
neighborhoods the same way public schools are. Currently in Fairfax
County, churches are treated as businesses and generally must locate
on arterials and collectors rather than residential roads.
* Building sidewalks to connect existing schools to neighborhoods.
* Controlling neighborhood traffic speeds through enforcement and
traffic calming.
* Ticketing those who block sidewalks with cars, overgrown bushes, or
water sprinklers.
* Ticketing driving behavior aggressive to pedestrians, including
- Stopping on top of crosswalks (both marked and unmarked)
- Drag-race starting on green for right turns in order to beat
adjacent crossing pedestrians
- Honking and obscene-gesturing at pedestrians.
* Deploying human crossing guards, including for the private schools
that have been relegated to high-speed arterials and collectors.
"Metro In Brief: Old School Buses Linked to Air Pollution"; Washington
Post; July 11, 2002
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52734-2002Jul10.html
"School buses are a leading source of diesel pollution in the area,
according to a report by the region's Transportation Planning Board.
"The study, released yesterday, found that school buses account for
75 percent of the heavy diesel engines on local roads.
"The amount of diesel pollution is a growing concern because the
region must reduce air pollution levels to meet federal standards or
risk losing federal transportation money.
"Ron Kirby, the board's director, said it is examining fuel additives
that would reduce school bus emissions.
"The study found Fairfax County has the most old school buses, with
421 built before 1988 in its fleet of 1,537. Alexandria follows,
with all 88 of its school buses dating before 1988."
"Historic Neighborhood Schools in the Age of Sprawl: Why Johnny Can't
Walk to School"
http://www.nthp.org/issues/schoolsRpt.pdf
"Huge acreage standards for schools and conflicts between smart
growth planning and school facility planning top the list of
public policy 'culprits' for the demise of historic neighborhood
schools."
"Oral History of the Public School Principalship: Interview with Jewel
Keroher"; Dr. Patrick W. Carlton; Nov. 27, 1987
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/faculty_archives/principalship/k/197keroher.html
"They would say 'Oh, what school are you in?' and I would say 'Oh,
I'm at Chesterbrook,' and they would say 'Oh, that's that black
school.' And, it was from a quarter that I didn't expect it, but
on the other hand, just a year before, our Assistant
Superintendent had met with all the Principals and had said
'never, ever will Fairfax County be integrated.'"
"Higher Direct Medical Costs Associated With Physical Inactivity";
The Physician and Sports Medicine; Dr. Michael Pratt et al;
October, 2000
http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/2000/10_00/pratt.htm
"For those 15 and older without physical limitations, the average
annual direct medical costs were $1,019 for those who were
regularly physically active and $1,349 for those who reported
being inactive."
--
Michael Malak
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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