What is an Air Pollution Advisory and what does it mean to you?
The Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA) monitors the air in the Miami Valley. If and when air pollution levels are forecasted to be high, an "Air Pollution Advisory" will be issued by MVRPC, in conjunction with RAPCA. Children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions are impacted the most. It’s especially important on these days to modify your behavior to reduce air pollution. Refueling your vehicle after 8 p.m., mowing your lawn later in the evening, and walking, or biking for short trips are a few suggested actions. Watch this short video to learn more.
MVRPC Hosts the first Greater Region Coordinating Council Meeting
The Greater Region Mobility Initiative (GRMI), led by MVRPC under the guidance and funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), collects data, coordinates input, and develops strategies for a transportation coordination plan for the nine-county region. The program started in January 2018 and the first year is well underway. Monday, June 18, 2018, marked the first GRMI council meeting at the Troy-Miami County Public Library with approximately 30 participants. All nine counties covered by GRMI were represented. Stakeholders included public transit agencies, senior centers, developmental disability agencies, mobility managers, and other human service agencies.
Following an overview of the program, attendees participated in a SWOT analysis designed to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to coordinated transportation in their areas. Participant vote determined the top three items in each category for the region. The following table shows the top four responses from the SWOT analysis.
The agenda for future quarterly meetings will follow up on the SWOT analysis responses and work toward the creation of the Greater Region’s coordination plan. In the planning study, we will host a similar work session with transit users as they can provide input from their first-hand experiences. For more information on the GRMI project, please contact Kim Lahman at klahman@mvrpc.org or 937.223.6323.
Making Their Community Better for those that Walk and Roll
In September of 2017, MVRPC conducted a Complete Streets Policy workshop for the Village of Yellow Springs. The day included an overview of policy elements, benefits from having a policy, and a walking audit of the Village. Since that workshop, staff and council have really taken the ball and run with it. In December, the council adopted the Village’s new Complete Streets Policy. An active transportation plan was created using an Ohio Department of Transportation grant. The Village and Toole Design Group started the planning process in March. Meanwhile, the Village’s Active Transportation Committee helped merged with the Bike Yellow Springs chapter of Bike Miami Valley. Due to these efforts, the Village was designated by the League of American Bicyclists as the Region’s fifth Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community!
MVRPC staff served on the advisory committee for the Active Transportation planning process, along with Village residents, Greene CATS, and advocates for the disabled from the community. At the end of June, a public open house meeting was held on the project and policy recommendations in the plan. As always, the citizens of Yellow Springs were engaged and came out to the meeting in numbers. Upgrading sidewalks and crossings along major corridors in the Village were a favored priority among the committee and the public. Concepts for redesigns of West South College Street and the intersection of Xenia Ave. and Corry Street were also popular topics. The final plan will include short, medium, and long-term priorities, and MVRPC looks forward to working with the Village on funding options for plan priorities and public outreach.
Grants & Funding Resources
On a monthly basis, MVRPC is highlighting several funding opportunities on our website that could benefit communities in the Region. We include a description, contact information and program links. We have also listed other valuable resources for finding funding opportunities. See more at: mvrpc.org/grant-and-funding-opportunities
This month we are featuring information on:
- National Endowment for the Arts - Our Town Program– Deadline: August 9, 2018.
- Ohio History Fund – Deadline: September 5, 2018.
If you need assistance with your grant pursuit or further research, please contact Martin Kim, Director of Regional Planning, at 937.223.6323 or mkim@mvrpc.org.
Upcoming MVRPC Meetings
7/10/18 - 9:00 a.m. OARC Candidates Forum: Hilton Downtown, 401 N. High St., Columbus, OH
7/19/18 - 9:30 a.m. Technical Advisory Committee: MVRPC, 10 N. Ludlow St. Ste 700, Dayton, OH
7/24/18 - 9:30 a.m. Storm Water Management Sustainability Roundtable, 10 N. Ludlow St. Ste. 700, Dayton, OH
8/02/18 - 8:30 a.m. Executive Committee: Dayton Realtors, 1515 S. Main St., Dayton, OH
8/02/18 - 9:00 a.m. Board of Directors: Dayton Realtors, 1515 S. Main St., Dayton, OH