Walk, ride your bike or take the bus to Parking Matters open house meetings on March 3 and 4

parkingmatters
The Parking Matters Plan is a collaborative effort between the CORE MPO, through the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission and the City of Savannah. Public open house meetings will be held on Thursday, March 3, from 4-7 p.m. (Presentation at 6 p.m.) at the Holiday Inn Express, 199 Bay Street and on Friday, March 4, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Presentation at Noon) at the Metropolitan Planning Commission, 112 E. State St.

Improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure is a key part of the Parking Matters plan, so please make plans to attend one of the meetings to emphasize the critical need for investment in safe facilities for walking and bicycling. It’s critical for leaders to hear from citizens who travel by bike. More information is available on the Parking Matters website.

Savannah Bicycle Campaign will give free bike light sets to anyone who arrives by bike, Healthy Savannah will give free pedometers to people who walk to the meetings, and Chatham Area Transit will have bus passes on hand for people who take transit.

The plan is intended to:

Identify the existing conditions with regards to parking supply and demand in greater downtown

Incorporate feedback and suggestions for improving existing parking and transportation mobility options in Savannah from members of the community

Develop strategies for Downtown Savannah’s parking and transportation system that bolster economic development, provide mobility options, and enhance the overall quality for life for residents, employees, and visitors alike.

City of Savannah adopts Complete Streets ordinance

complete streets
We have been working in partnership with Healthy Savannah toward an important goal.
On Jan. 22, 2015 we achieved it.

The Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah unanimously adopted a Complete Streets ordinance that will help make our city’s streets safe and appealing for people of all ages and abilities.

The purpose of the ordinance is to “to encourage healthy active living, reduce traffic congestion and fossil fuel use and improve the safety and quality of life of residents of the City of Savannah by providing safe, convenient and comfortable routes for walking, bicycling and public transportation.”

Under the ordinance, all street improvement and new construction projects will be designed to meet the needs of people who walk, ride bikes and use transit, unless specific circumstances prevent inclusion. Among the bicycle-related Complete Streets components listed in the ordinance are shared use paths, bicycle lanes and bicycle parking facilities.

We thank Mayor Edna Jackson and Savannah City Council for adopting this ordinance, which will provide economic, public safety and public health benefits to our community. We are especially grateful to District 4 Alderman Mary Ellen Sprague for endorsing an amendment that significantly strengthened the ordinance.

On the same day that our city’s leaders acted, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx launched the Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People and Safer Streets, which calls on mayors and other local elected officials to take significant action to improve the safety of their constituents who walk or bicycle by implementing Complete Streets practices.

We are grateful to Healthy Savannah, YMCA of Coastal Georgia, Safe Routes to School Resource Center, Savannah Chatham Public School System, Transport Studio, Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, Chatham Area Transit, Healthcare Georgia Foundation, Georgia Bikes, City of Savannah staff, and other partner organizations for their dedication to achieving this goal.