Jeremy Ferguson

Here are three stories about removing obstacles for seniors so that they can utilize more active and public transportation and become more involved as both mobility and climate advocates.

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Thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, FTA is awarding $9.6 million in grants to support 26 tribes across 14 states. These investments through the Tribal Transit Program will enhance transit services for Tribal communities and Alaska Native Villages in rural areas. bit.ly/4aiacMX

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United Way of Ventura County is meeting their community’s needs in a wide variety of ways, two of which are particularly relevant this November: National Homelessness Awareness Month: For more than four years, United Way of Ventura County’s Landlord Engagement Program has been helping those with federal housing choice vouchers navigate the housing market and secure housing, and earlier this year, they began homelessness prevention work. To date, they have helped 782 community members secure housing or stay housed. United Way of Ventura County also raises awareness about homelessness in their community and connects those experiencing homelessness to resources. https://lnkd.in/eDFXTgVJ Native American and Indigenous Peoples' Heritage Month: As Ventura County is home to more than 20,000 Indigenous people, United Way of Ventura County made sure their free tax preparation outreach and services were available in languages commonly spoken by Indigenous peoples in their community: Spanish, Mixteco, and Zapoteco.

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A huge thanks to Streetsblog California for featuring my latest video project about the California High Speed Rail. In this video, I retrace from above the 270-mile train route from downtown Los Angeles to Madera in the Central Valley (with the route eventually extending to San Francisco). My objectives were two-fold: 1. To enlighten the public about the immense scale of this project, one of the largest infrastructure undertakings in the world. Seeing it from the air helps convey the magnitude of the endeavor. 2. To showcase the significant progress being made while also acknowledging the challenges that remain. The video is linked in the article.

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We worked with CityHealth to create a Policy Action Guide that helps local agencies measure the impacts of #Complete Streets projects once they are implemented. Learn more about the guide in this explainer video created by See In Colors ⤵ https://lnkd.in/duhTC7R5

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The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency unveiled its draft Biking and Rolling Plan, envisioning a citywide network of safe bike paths but lacking binding deadlines or guaranteed projects. Advocates criticized its lack of ambition, while staff cited financial constraints and a need for community engagement in underserved areas as reasons for the plan's cautious approach. https://lnkd.in/d2KZeEFH #BikingSF #SafeStreets #UrbanMobility #BikeInfrastructure #SustainableTransport

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The California Transportation Commission has allocated $830 million to fund a broad range of projects that includes miles of bike lanes, pedestrian and bicycle trails, raised crosswalks, and more. https://lnkd.in/eR2Xjnei #highvisibilitycrosswalks #pedestriansafety #pavementmarkings #glassbeads #saferoutestoschool

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State transportation agencies are already seeing the effects of climate change on their infrastructure and transportation systems. In this episode of the InfraTalk Podcast, Secretary of California State Transportation Agency, Toks Omishakin, discusses the impact climate change has had on the state of California and his agency's work. He also shares how important it is for the industry to tackle today’s transportation problems with modern solutions. Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/d9e3uRzP #Transportation #Infrastructure #Innovation #ClimateChange #InfraTalkAmerica #Podcast

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On Friday, January 12, 2024, Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) in partnership with Climate Resolve, hosted the Climate Resilience Nexus 2024 (CRN 2024). This impactful event brought together over 200 dedicated individuals at California Air Resources Board Southern California Headquarters in Riverside, CA, and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture at the Riverside Art Museum. I am excited to share the CRN 2024 Event Report which highlights the symposium's key activities and discussions. This report is developed based on the event outcome and follow up interviews with stakeholders. Here are some key takeaways: Resilience Priorities Interconnected Social Challenges Disadvantaged communities face multiple challenges, from affordable housing to job scarcity and inadequate education. These pressing needs often take precedence over environmental stewardship and climate preparedness. Disparities in Disaster Relief Participants involved in wildfire and flood disaster relief noted disparities in accessing relief funds, especially for events not meeting federal disaster relief thresholds. State funds, often disseminated by capacity-constrained non-profits, also present challenges. Information Gaps Understanding and utilizing climate vulnerability and risk information remains a challenge. Practical guidance and tools for communities and their trusted messengers are needed, particularly in capacity-constrained areas. Leadership and Workforce Gaps There's a significant opportunity to cultivate environmental leadership in underserved communities. Developing climate leaders at various career stages can enhance community resilience across the state. The event was a testament to our collective commitment towards climate resilience. Thank you to all who participated and contributed to making this event a success. Let’s continue to build partnerships and accelerate our efforts towards a resilient California for all! 👉 Read the Full Report Here 👈 #ClimateResilience #CRN2024 #ClimateChange #ResilientCalifornia #CommunityLeadership #EnvironmentalStewardship #ClimateAction

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Exploring Microtransit for Fresno County! The Fresno County Regional Microtransit Feasibility Study offers a blueprint for potential microtransit services that could make getting around Fresno County easier, faster, and more accessible. Through extensive analysis, this study helps Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) and local transit providers explore new, efficient service options that reduce wait times and improve access for underserved areas. Public outreach services for this study was led by VRPA Technologies, in coordination with Via Mobility, LLC, and Fresno COG staff. VRPA's involvement included: - Development of a Public Engagement Plan (PEP) - Conducting bilingual community surveys and pop-up events - Engaging stakeholders in meetings, workshops and interviews - Provided technical support as needed We’re excited to see how microtransit could reshape Fresno’s transit landscape for the better! #VRPATechnologies #Microtransit #transit #publicoutreach  Image source: Fresno COG

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More than 20 pedestrians per day die on American streets. Cities are implementing Vision Zero plans, building sidewalks, and redesigning deadly streets -- but we cannot fully address the traffic safety crisis without evaluating all aspects of the transportation system. Americans’ cars and SUVs have gotten bigger, heavier, and deadlier. It’s past time to take a comprehensive look at how vehicle design has changed and how the federal government–from Congress to NHTSA–can ensure that the vehicles on the road are designed for safety. https://lnkd.in/eGKyivAU

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🚦 Drive Change with the FY 2025-26 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant! 🌍 The California Grants Portal has unveiled an exciting opportunity for those passionate about sustainable transportation and climate resilience. The FY 2025-26 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant is now open for applications! This grant is designed to support the development of sustainable communities by implementing Regional Transportation Plans (RTP) and Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS). It aims to help California meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets and focuses on climate adaptation planning to tackle transportation-related climate vulnerabilities. Strategic partnerships are encouraged to address significant regional, interregional, and statewide transportation issues. Remember, all planning projects must have a transportation nexus. - **Agency/Department:** Department of Transportation - **Application Deadline:** January 22, 2025, at 5:00 PM - **Estimated Available Funds:** Not specified For more information, visit the California Grants Portal https://lnkd.in/gQEPDybJ. Don't miss out on this opportunity to contribute to a sustainable future! Share this news with your network and follow OpenGrants for more updates on funding opportunities. Let's drive change together! 🚀 You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://lnkd.in/gVUbrxsM

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The Metropolitan Transportation Commission awarded $8.5 million to 13 Bay Area organizations for projects supporting Plan Bay Area 2050’s conservation, climate resilience, and outdoor access goals. These Priority Conservation Area Grants fund initiatives like park development, wildlife corridor protection, and trail expansions across the region. https://lnkd.in/ghiqdYTV #BayAreaConservation #ClimateResilience #OutdoorAccess #WildlifeCorridors #SustainableFuture

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California is finally on the fast lane to address a glaring problem. Why is a state built on vehicle transportation yet rich in biodiversity so lacking in wildlife bridges? To address that issue: All Roads lead to Caltrans! For conservationists, it was the CA Transportation Foundation’s suggested route to generate partnerships with the innovators and eco sensitive staff and engineers with California's road building agency as on on-ramp to build a better path for wildlife conservation and safely really took on a new chapter of hope, understanding and cooperation at yesterday’s Caltrans HQ #CTtalks Webinar hosted by an array of talent with an audience that demonstrated the diversity found in the wildlife conservation sector. From field biologists to zoological landscape engineers to field scientists, the gaze of conservationists was clearly set on how are wildlife bridges in California changing the landscape for its native species especially threatened apex predators like SoCal’s fragmented mountain lion populations. Fragmentation of populations occurs when human development like roadways hinder genetic dispersal. Bridging the Gap: 🦌🛣️ 🐆 Cause, Consequences and solutions. It’s clear the pathway forward to remedy the huge problems caused by highways that were bulldozed right through ancient wildlife corridors & wildlife migration routes has caused ecological damage and the endangerement of keystone native species. It’s not just the human lives lost in vehicle accidents by not calculating what happen when roads transect wildlife corridors but also the sheer amount of species being savagely run over, or leaving victims as injured or orphaned. Having so many expert voices being welcomed into the future planning of next generation wildlife bridges and how we can improve on current conditions of roadways with new impactful studies,mitigation & collaborative efforts, tracking technologies, Off Grid Field Labs & Vet-Tech Sanctuary Housing and of course community engagement are the keys to unlock a golden opportunity to remedy a lot of connected issues. For those of us long in the field, we've waited for this moment for a long time ready to engage wildlife sanctuaries which with state support,must play a more active role in rehabilitating and rewilding programs. Together with the States 30/30 initiative to preserve key habitats & wildlife corridors, innovative wildlife sanctuaries, habitat awareness programs and conservation services are the needed tools to propel & protect our native wildlife & connected habitat heritage. The keystone to bridging gap was and has always been lessons from local Native American tribal councils. Thank you #CalTrans for the talents of Dana Cota - native voices for a native ways to get us all back on the road to habitat health. Please see links to next #CTtalks and #CaResourcePage 🐾https://lnkd.in/gBnuTUbB Caltrans Caltrans District 8 National Geographic #CLAW #coexistence #caltransculture #sanctuarylife

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City officials have the power to make their streets safer today. Temporary measures like paint and pylons (aka flex posts) can be deployed immediately to make a dangerous area safer. These temporary measures can then be rearranged and experimented with to identify the street configuration that is safest and best serves the community. Once the optimal design is identified, these measures can be replaced with more robust and protective infrastructure.

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