Manatee County APHA Power of Policy Application

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Description of health issue, policy solution, sustainability, and replicability.
a) What is the public health issue (or issues) that is being addressed by the project? How many
people are affected? What are the health inequities related to this public health issue?
Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in the United States for individuals age 1-34, and it
ranks among the top ten leading causes of death for individuals in all age groups. Many unintentional
injuries and fatalities occur as a result of motor vehicle crashes, often involving pedestrians or bicyclists.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,092 pedestrians and 630
bicyclists were killed and another 59,000 pedestrians and 51,000 bicyclists were injured as a result of
traffic accidents in 2009. Florida consistently ranks among the top three states for pedestrian and bicyclist
fatalities, with 499 pedestrian and 76 bicyclist fatalities in 2010. During the same year, Manatee County
on the southwest coast of Florida, had 146 pedestrian injuries and eight pedestrian fatalities, and 106
bicyclist injuries and one bicyclist fatality. One contributing factor to the high pedestrian/cyclist injury
and fatality rates in Florida is the design of roadways built to accommodate large volumes of traffic,
without taking pedestrian and bicyclist safety into consideration.
Obesity rates have grown to epidemic proportions in the United States over the past decade. In
Florida, 66.2% are classified as overweight or obese, and the state ranks thirteenth in childhood obesity
rates. In Manatee County, close to 60% of adults and more than 25% of youth are obese. Physical
inactivity is a prime cause of weight gain and poor cardiovascular health; however, the ability to exercise
is often beyond the control of the individual. People who do not feel safe walking or exercising outdoors
in their neighborhoods due to high crime rates or heavy traffic have very limited options for staying
active. Additionally, in areas where motor vehicles are the primary mode of transportation, people may be
discouraged from using alternate modes of transportation such as walking or biking to school or work.
Vehicle emissions pollute the air we breathe and contribute to health problems like asthma,
pneumonia, lower respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer. The more concentrated the motor
vehicle traffic is, the higher the rates of pollution will be, thereby increasing the risk for developing heart
and lung diseases. In 2010, Manatee County reported 1,286 hospitalizations for chronic lower respiratory
diseases, including asthma, for a rate of 291.6 per 100,000 population; statewide, the rate was 372.9.
Children, older adults, and racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected in
pedestrian/bicyclist injuries and fatalities. These populations are less likely to have a driver license or own
a car due to age or income, and therefore they are more likely to walk or bike, making them more prone to
pedestrian and bicycling injuries. African Americans use walking as a form of transportation 26% more
than white Americans, and Hispanic Americans walk 45% more than whites. Children may be especially
vulnerable as they are unaware of the rules of the road and not always conscious of their surroundings.
The pedestrian fatality rate for Hispanic children is 40% higher than that of white children, and African
American children have a pedestrian fatality rate that is double that of whites. Elderly populations may
have poor vision or hearing and slower reactions, impeding their ability to safely share the roads with
motorists. Hispanics over 65 have a pedestrian fatality rate double that of African Americans in the same
age group, and 173% higher than whites. Nearly one-fourth of Manatee County’s population is at least 65
years old, 8.7% are Black or African American, and 14.9% identify as Hispanic.
b) What policy solution is being proposed? What impact on health outcomes and health inequities
would this policy solution have? What is the evidence that this solution can be implemented and
can have the desired impact?
A Complete Streets policy for Manatee County will improve road safety for all users, encourage
physical activity, and reduce traffic congestion and associated air pollution. Local transportation planners
and engineers may use a Complete Streets policy to consider safety and accessibility for all users
whenever developing or reconstructing roadways. According to the National Complete Streets Coalition,
a comprehensive Complete Streets policy includes a vision for how and why the community wants to
complete its streets; specifies “all users” to include pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit passengers of all
ages and abilities; encourages street connectivity; and is understood by all agencies to cover all roads.

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Manatee County’s Transportation Plan and Land Redevelopment Code already specify the need for
all future roadways to be designed with elements of Complete Streets, including sidewalks on both sides
of the road and in front of all establishments, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
regulations, designated bicycle lanes, and a focus on both safety and efficiency in all methods of travel.
However, there is no current policy in place to guarantee that existing county roadways will be retrofitted
to meet Complete Streets standards. For this reason, many older and highly-trafficked thoroughfares in
Manatee County lack facilities for all users, especially pedestrians and bicyclists.
The Manatee County Health Department (MCHD), in collaboration with the Manatee County
Building and Development Services Department (BDSD), City of Bradenton Department of Planning and
Community Development, the Departments of Public Works, and the Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan
Planning Organization (MPO), has agreed to develop a Complete Streets policy as an amendment to the
County’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan and Land Development Code, pending grant funding.
Inexpensive and unobtrusive elements of a Complete Streets policy can have a strong and positive impact
on both health and the economy. One such element proposed herein is the provision of signage to
alternate bike routes through side roads and local streets, trails and greenways, that bypass major
thoroughfares and connect cyclists and pedestrians to specific destinations such as stores, schools, or
beaches.
States with the highest rates of walking and biking have the lowest rates of obesity, diabetes, and high
blood pressure. However, the majority of Americans feel that they do not have any options other than to
drive a car; approximately half of older Americans say they would walk or bike more if the roadways in
their neighborhoods were safer, and many parents do not allow their children to walk or bike to school
because they are concerned about safety. Implementation of a Complete Streets Policy in Manatee County
will reduce the high rates of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities by making roadways more
accommodating to individuals using alternate modes of transportation. Increased safety will encourage
greater usage of alternate transportation (e.g. walking, biking, or public transportation), which will not
only increase physical activity, but it will also reduce traffic congestion on the roads, leading to fewer
motor vehicle accidents and a decline in air pollution. A Complete Streets policy that expands options and
ensures safety for alternate modes of transportation will be well-received by Manatee County residents
and employees.
Complete Streets policies are supported by federal agencies and have been passed successfully in
numerous municipalities, counties, and states across the nation. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) recognized Complete Streets as a recommended policy strategy to reduce obesity.
The United States Department of Transportation supports Complete Streets, releasing a policy statement
in 2010 declaring, “Every transportation agency, including DOT, has the responsibility to improve
conditions and opportunities for walking and bicycling and to integrate walking and bicycling into their
transportation systems.”
c) Which stage(s) and activities of the policy change process will this funding support? What
specific objectives will be accomplished with this funding? What is likely to happen after the
project period? If this funding will not complete the policy change process, what resources are
in place to ensure continued progress?
The entirety of this grant funding will be used to hire a consultant who will provide the needed
assistance to pass a Complete Streets policy for Manatee County. The consultant will be responsible for
establishing criteria for roads in the County for retrofit projects; engineering cross-sections (i.e. designing
elements of Complete Streets for all varieties of road and intersection classifications) to be included in the
County’s Public Works Engineering Standards; drafting goals, objectives, and policies to add to the
County’s Comprehensive Plan; providing a web-based GIS inventory of available transit, bicyclist, and
pedestrian infrastructure resources and alternate routes on the Manatee County website; and drafting
amendments to the County’s Land Development Code. The amendment will include a definition of
Complete Streets and standards with which the County and land development community must be in
compliance in order to create a Complete Streets community.

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After the consultant drafts the amendments, the County will be required to pass an ordinance in order
to authorize the Complete Streets policy language as an amendment. Based on support received from the
County Administrator and Commissioners, the Complete Streets policy is certain to be passed without
issue. Once the Complete Streets policy has been written into the Comprehensive Plan, Land
Development Code, and Public Works Engineering Standards, the Public Works Department (PWD) will
fund retrofitting projects to comply with the policy guidelines. The first steps will include developing a
web-based infrastructure map, complete with alternate bicycle routes. The focus area will be the U.S.
Route 41 corridor, running north-south from Manatee Avenue to 26th
Avenue in Bradenton. This stretch
of road is notably the most dangerous thoroughfare in Manatee County in terms of pedestrian and
bicyclist injuries and fatalities.
Other low-cost, high-impact efforts to be undertaken in the beginning stages of the Complete Streets
process may include road diets and lane re-striping, improvements in lighting, increased time
programmed into crosswalk signals, and enhancements to existing bus stops and connecting sidewalks to
better comply with ADA standards.
Passing a Complete Streets policy is a lengthy process and requires ongoing efforts. The funding from
this grant will not cover all stages of the process, yet the passage of a Complete Streets policy amendment
will establish the foundational requirements in the necessary transportation and planning regulations to set
the process in motion to begin creating multimodal, user-friendly roadways. Given that many of the most
problematic roads in Manatee County are state-owned, the ultimate goal of this project will be to garner
state-level support to implement a Florida Complete Streets policy that will improve safety and health
outcomes across the state.
There is currently widespread support for Complete Streets among multiple organizations in Manatee
County, including the Building and Development Services and Public Works Departments, the Sarasota-
Manatee MPO, bike/pedestrian advocacy committees, Safe Kids – Suncoast Chapter, the School District,
and the Community Traffic Safety Team, as well as the Health Department. After the project period, these
organizations will continue to provide representation on a coalition led by MCHD to implement future
Complete Streets initiatives and evaluations within the county. The MPO’s Long-Term Plan through 2035
includes an allocation of $70 million to be used between the two counties for improvements to the U.S.
41 corridor, where the initial Complete Streets elements will be implemented. The Manatee County PWD
will be responsible for maintaining and retrofitting roadways in compliance with the Complete Streets
Policy.
d) Can the policy solution be applied in other settings or communities?
As noted previously, Complete Streets policies have been passed in a variety of locations throughout
the country, at both local and state levels, and in urban, rural, and suburban settings. Manatee County’s
proposed project is unique in that it not only addresses current and future road development, but it also
includes provisions for low-cost initiatives that provide safe alternatives to traveling by foot or bicycle
along heavily trafficked thoroughfares. As funding is certainly a primary concern throughout the country,
Manatee County’s innovative practice can and should be replicated where it is not feasible to reconstruct
entire roadways to accommodate all users.
It will be beneficial for Manatee County to work collaboratively with its incorporated cities and
neighboring counties such as Sarasota and Hillsborough, so as to ensure that the Complete Streets and
transportation networks are continuous. Because many of the major thoroughfares in Manatee County and
throughout Florida are state-owned, it will be advantageous to introduce a Complete Streets policy at the
state level. This will ensure that state roads are built with all users’ safety in mind, and it will encourage
county and city governments to pass local Complete Streets policies for the local roads, as well.
Work plan.
Long-Term Goal: Improve health in Manatee County through increased physical activity and road
safety, as well as decreased air pollution.
Objective 1:
Convene a Complete Streets
Activities:
1a. Invite partners via written and
Potential Partners:
• MCHD

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Coalition within Manatee
County, including all supporting
partners previously mentioned,
by March 15, 2012.
telephone invitation. Potential
partner are listed above as well
as concerned citizens.
1b. Identify non-MCHD staff
Coalition Chair. (This will
encourage community
involvement.)
1c. Work with partners to
determine best time and
location logistics for meeting.
1d. Hold monthly face-to-face
meetings and bi-weekly
conference or video conference
calls, utilizing MCHD’s
technology.
• BDSD, Transportation
Planning Division
• Bradenton Department of
Planning and Community
Development
• Sarasota-Manatee MPO
• Bicycle/Pedestrian
Advocacy Committee
• Community Traffic Safety
Committee
• School District
• Safe Kids
• Safe Routes to School
• Sheriff’s Office
• Manatee Memorial Hospital
• Blake Medical Center
• Concerned citizens
Justification, Challenges, and Solutions:
MCHD has a long-standing history of hosting community-based coalitions. Most recent successes
include the policy-driven Tobacco Free Coalition and ACHIEVE (Action Communities for Health,
Innovation and Environmental Change). These coalitions feature monthly meetings, bi-weekly conference
calls, work plan adherence and non-MCHD staffed executive positions. (MCHD staff fulfill the role of
educator and grant administrator.) These coalitions serve as the advocacy arm of MCHD’s work plan and
are highly efficient and respected by locally elected officials.
The primary challenge will be inspiring partners to attend the meetings; however, the bike/pedestrian
safety issue in Manatee County is a popular one. Previous bike/ped coalitions have already existed and
those partners will be extended invitations. Additionally, all aforementioned partners have committed to
attending meetings. Furthermore, MCHD has found that the video/tele-conference option encourages
more partners to participate in meetings and that technology will be made available for this Coalition.
Objective 2:
Define Complete Streets and
develop Public Works
Engineering Standards and
criteria for application to
existing roadway improvements
by August 15, 2012.
Activities:
2a. Work with the Manatee County
BDSD to hire a
planning/engineering
consultant.
2b. Manatee County Transportation
Planning Staff and MCHD
Staff meet with Consultant to
discuss goals and expectations.
2c. Consultant attends all Coalition
meetings and incorporates
Coalition’s input into plan.
2d. Consultant holds weekly
meetings with MCHD staff.
2e. Consultant provides training on
engineering components of
Complete Streets to Coalition
members by April 2012.
Partners:
• MCHD
• Manatee County BDSD
• Engineering Consultant
• Coalition members
The activities described above will ensure that the Complete Streets policy is written with as many
specifications as possible to retrofit the Manatee County roadways to benefit public health and

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transportation improvements. A qualified engineering specialist must be hired to perform the technical
tasks required of developing such a detailed Complete Streets policy; public health specialists do not have
enough of the transportation planning and engineering background that is needed to specify design
standards for roadways, and the current Transportation Planning Division cannot budget the extensive
workload that will be handled by the hired consultant. The consultant will be integrated into the Coalition
through his/her attendance at meetings and weekly reports to MCHD staff in order to combine
engineering and public health efforts.
The primary challenge to this objective will be finding a qualified and available consultant to perform
this job. The Transportation Planning Division in Manatee County and the Sarasota-Manatee MPO have
many ties to engineering consultants in the area, a pool from which it is likely that a suitable match will
be chosen.
Objective 3:
Pass a Complete Streets Policy
in Manatee County by October
15, 2012.
Activities:
3a. Attend a Manatee County
Board of Commissioners
workshop where the
Consultant, Coalition members
and County Transportation
Planning Staff will give a
presentation on the policy and
ask that it be placed on the
agenda.
3b. Consultant, Coalition members
and County Planning staff
meet individually with
Commissioners to explain the
policy and answer any
questions.
3c. A public hearing is held in
which the policy is voted on as
an amendment to the Manatee
County Comprehensive
Transportation Plan, Land
Development Code, and Public
Works Engineering Standards.
3d. A press release is issued to
media.
Partners:
• MCHD
• Engineering Consultant
• Coalition members
• County Commissioners
• News media outlets
including: Bradenton
Herald, Bradenton Times,
Herald Tribune
The Manatee County BDSD stipulates that any changes to the Comprehensive Plan must be passed as
an amendment, voted on by County Commissioners. Meetings with representatives from this Department
resulted in a recommendation to create Complete Streets amendments to both the Comprehensive Plan
and the Land Development Code, as the two have overlapping policies regarding roadways, right of way,
sidewalks, paths, and street lighting. Meeting individually with County Commissioners, who already
support a Complete Streets policy, will provide an opportunity to explain the consultant’s
recommendations for the process. MCHD staff will serve in the capacity of educators, and Coalition
members will advocate for the cause.
A potential challenge to this objective could be earning the Commissioners’ vote; however there is
already commitment from the County Commission to support the Complete Streets initiative (see attached
letter of support).
Objective 4:
Begin implementation of
Complete Streets policy by
Activities:
4a. Work with Transportation
Planning and Public Works
Partners:
• MCHD

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December 31, 2012. staff to order signs for alternate
bike routes in both English and
Spanish.
4b. Erect signs for alternate bike
route.
4c. Issue press releases in both
English and Spanish about
alternate bike routes.
4d. Work with MPO and
Transportation Planning staff
to educate the public, in both
English and Spanish, about
new roadway rules for bike
lanes and sidewalks.
4e. Work with MPO and
to identify target roads for
retrofitting.
4f. Work with MPO and
to identify future Florida
Department of Transportation
projects that align with new
Complete Streets policy
language.
• Manatee County PWD
• Sarasota-Manatee MPO
• News media outlets
including: Bradenton
Herald, Bradenton Times,
Herald Tribune
• Florida Department of
Transportation
Once a policy is passed, the PWD is obligated to abide by the policy guidelines. The Manatee County
BDSD has recommended beginning Complete Streets implementation with a low-cost, high-impact
project to enhance safety and encourage physical activity. U.S. Route 41 has been designated by the
Department as a dangerous corridor in Manatee County for pedestrian and bicyclists, as there are no
existing bicycle lanes, and three lanes of traffic pass in each direction at rapid speeds. Designating an
alternate bicycle route to bypass this thoroughfare will serve as a strong starting point for Complete
Streets; future efforts will expand to other roads and projects (such as road diets and lane re-striping,
sidewalk renovations, and street lighting). It is important to include Spanish language signs and
educational components due to the vast Hispanic community in Manatee County. The Sarasota-Manatee
MPO and BDSD are already committed to implementing Complete Streets in the region. These
organizations will support continued efforts to ensure compliance to the policy, and they will work with
MCHD to broaden the efforts to a state level in the future.
Challenges that could hinder progress on this objective include a lack of commitment and adherence
to the amendment, but letters of support and partnership meetings provide assurance that the commitment
among the County agencies is strong, and the passage of a written policy will enforce compliance from
the PWD.
Evaluation plan.
Long-Term Goal:
Improve health in Manatee County through increased physical activity and road safety, as well as
decreased air pollution, as indicated by a 25% increase in physical activity levels, a 50% decrease in
traffic-related bicyclist and pedestrian injuries, and a 10% reduction in chronic lower respiratory disease
(including asthma) cases, by December 31, 2017 as compared to baseline on December 31, 2012.
Outcome Measures Indicators Methods and Data Sources

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• Reduction in traffic
accidents involving
bicyclists and pedestrians
along the U.S. 41 corridor.
• Increase in physical activity
among Manatee County
residents.
• Decrease in rates of chronic
lower respiratory diseases in
Manatee County.
• Number of traffic crashes
involving bicyclists or
pedestrians along U.S. 41.
• Percent of Manatee County
residents who meet the
recommendations for daily
physical activity.
• Percent of Manatee County
adults and children afflicted by
chronic lower respiratory
diseases, including asthma.
• Analysis of Department of
Transportation traffic crash
data on U.S. 41.
• Trauma reports from
EMSTARS regarding severity
of pedestrian and bicyclist
injuries and fatalities.
• National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration data
regarding pedestrian and
bicyclist injuries and fatalities.
• Manatee County Behavioral
Risk Factor and Surveillance
Study data regarding physical
activity levels.
• Florida CHARTS data
regarding chronic lower
respiratory disease prevalence.
Objective 1:
Convene a Complete Streets Coalition within Manatee County, including all supporting partners
previously mentioned, by March 15, 2012.
Process Measures:
• Coalition meeting held at
MCHD.
Indicators
• Number of participants in
attendance at Coalition meeting.
Methods and Data Sources
• Sign-in/attendance list at
meeting.
Outcome Measures:
• Commitment from coalition
members.
Indicators
• Self-reported dedication to
participation in the Coalition and
interest in promoting health in
Manatee County.
• Post-meeting evaluation
survey developed by MCHD
determining interest in and
commitment to Complete
Streets and health promotion
in Manatee County.
Objective 2: Define Complete Streets and develop Public Works Engineering Standards and criteria for
application existing roadway improvements by August 15, 2012.
Process Measures:
• Consultant position is
advertised and candidates
are interviewed for hire.
• Meetings are held between
Transportation, MCHD and
consultant.
• Consultant attends Coalition
meetings.
• Consultant provides training
to Coalition members.
Indicators
• Qualified consultant is hired.
• Number of meetings held.
• Number of Coalition meetings
held in which consultant is in
attendance.
• Coalition members’ awareness of
Complete Streets policy and
implementation process.
• Application review process
and interviews completed by
Manatee County
Transportation Planning
Division.
• MCHD-Consultant meeting
agendas and minutes.
• Coalition meeting sign-
in/attendance sheets.
• Pre/post-training evaluation
survey developed by MCHD
to assess improvements in
knowledge and awareness.

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• Consultant designs
engineering cross-sections
of roadways.
• Consultant defines
Complete Streets for
Manatee County.
• Cross-sections and Complete
Streets policy language are
developed and submit to
Transportation Planning Division
and PWD for review.
• Transportation Planning
Division and PWD will review
drafts.
Outcome Measures:
• Consultant meets or exceeds
job performance
qualifications.
• Thorough and explicit
Complete Streets policy
language.
Indicators
• Previous experience and
qualifications of consultant.
• Policy language includes a
definition of Complete Streets
and a clear description of the
duties of Public Works officials
to develop and maintain a
Complete Streets network in
Manatee County.
• Consultant’s resume and
application; Transportation
Planning Division review of
qualifications and
performance.
• Draft of policy language
reviewed by Transportation
Planning Division and MCHD.
Objective 3:
Pass a Complete Streets Policy in Manatee County by October 15, 2012.
Process Measures:
• Hold meetings between
MCHD, Transportation
Planning Division, and
County Commissioners.
• Schedule and attend public
hearing to pass policy.
• Submit press release to
local news media.
Indicators
• Number of meetings held with
individual County
Commissioners.
• Voting results of public hearing.
• Number of press releases
submitted.
• Meeting agendas and minutes.
• Public hearing minutes and
recordings.
• Press releases published in
local news media.
Outcome Measures:
• Passage of Complete Streets
policy.
Indicators
• Complete Streets policy language
adopted as amendment to
Manatee County Comprehensive
Transportation Plan, Land
• Written and published
amendments to
Comprehensive Plan, Land
Objective 4:
Begin implementation of Complete Streets policy by December 31, 2012.
Process Measures:
• Consultant identifies
alternate bicycle routes to
bypass U.S. 41.
• Road signs are designed and
signs and posts are
purchased.
• Public Works installs road
signs.
Indicators
• Manatee County website
includes map of alternate bicycle
routes.
• Number of road signs and posts
purchased.
• Road signs on alternate bicycle
route are installed and visible.
• Manatee County website
(mymanatee.org).
• Purchase order and inventory
from Manatee County PWD.
• Environmental scan performed
by MCHD staff to ensure
proper placement and visibility
of signage.

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Outcome Measures:
• Alternate bicycle routes are
utilized by pedestrians and
bicyclists for fitness,
pleasure, and commuting
purposes.
Indicators
• Number of pedestrians and
bicyclists in Manatee County
who utilize the new bicycle
routes.
• Pre/post-implementation
survey assessing numbers of
Manatee County residents who
walk or bike on U.S. 41 prior
to alternate route designation,
as compared to numbers of
those who utilize the alternate
routes post-implementation.
Description of organizational capacity and partnerships.
The Manatee County Health Department (MCHD) is a well-respected agency within the community.
MCHD retains the ability to influence key community agencies and partners at the highest levels, based
on strong working relationships created over the past 20 years. The Manatee County Commission is
supportive of the Health Department’s mission and this project; they will support the Complete Streets
project with $35,000 worth of in-kind donations. MCHD’s relationships, with both public and private
agencies, can be leveraged for the benefit of the Complete Streets project within the County and beyond.
MCHD has demonstrated immense fiscal responsibility with a long history of exceptional fiscal
management. MCHD has an annual budget in excess of $9 million dollars, managed by Margaret Farmer,
Finance and Accounting Director. Thanks to Ms. Farmer’s efforts, and the responsible leadership of Dr.
Jennifer Bencie, Administrator, MCHD has demonstrated foresight in effectively managing funds and
programs. Ms. Farmer has eight years of experience monitoring finances for various grant-funded
programs within the Health Department and coordinating the activities of Fiscal, Purchasing, Human
Resources, and Information Technology staff.
MCHD created a specific Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention structure within the
health department. This additional entity allows maximizing chronic disease prevention through enhanced
coordination and collaboration among various health promotion and chronic disease components. The
organizational structure of MCHD’s Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Division consists
of a Community Health Nurse Supervisor and a variety of program specialists. Megan Jourdan, Program
Manager, has significant experience in advocating for and instituting health promotion and chronic
disease prevention policies. Through a strong partnership with the Manatee County Commission, she has
been able to create policies for tobacco-free campuses, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, healthy
restaurants, worksite wellness, and farmers’ markets. Ms. Jourdan is dedicated to improving the health
and quality of lives of others through policy and environmental changes in the community, and she will is
highly motivated to see the Complete Streets policy project to fruition. Ms. Jourdan also has the
assistance of a hard-working, passionate fellow from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who
will play a key role in maintaining partnerships within the community for this project.
Dr. Jennifer Bencie, Health Department Administrator, is fully supportive of all health promotion
policy work done for the community. She believes that health promotion and policy change will have the
greatest influence on the future of public health, and she strongly encouraged taking advantage of the
opportunity to apply for this grant. Dr. Bencie has a personal interest in physical activity and wellness,
and is excited at the prospect of increased safety on our roadways to facilitate walking and bicycling for
fitness and pleasure.
The Manatee County Health Department has the support of numerous agencies throughout the
community, as the Complete Streets efforts will benefit those with goals related to safety, transportation,
health, aesthetics, or economic development. Collaborations, goal sharing, and brainstorming sessions
between MCHD and partners have been ongoing for several months, since the idea of creating a
Complete Streets policy first arose in October 2011. Transportation agencies, including the Sarasota-
Manatee MPO and the Manatee County BDSD, are committed to this project as it relates to their own
organizational missions and goals.

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Mr. Michael Howe, MPO Executive Director, has expressed his support and willingness to help make
a Complete Streets policy become a reality not only for Manatee County, but also regionally with
neighboring Sarasota County. (See attachments for Mr. Howe’s biosketch and letter of support.) The
Sarasota-Manatee MPO’s 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan includes several objectives that either
explicitly or implicitly reference the development of Complete Streets. The MPO’s goals include
improving multimodal mobility, improving public health, and increasing safety in the transportation
system, with supporting objectives such as “properly balancing roadway travel needs for autos with those
of transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” “incorporating a ‘complete streets’ policy and context
sensitive design into the development of transportation facilities and corridors,” and “improv[ing] public
health and air quality by retrofitting roadways to encourage increased walking and bicycling activity for
all trip purposes.” The MPO has also recently established a bicycle/pedestrian advocacy committee, led
by Mr. David Hutchinson (see attached resume), with similar goals for fitness and safety among active
community members. This committee will be represented on Manatee County’s Complete Streets
Coalition.
The Manatee County BDSD, represented by Mr. Tony Rodriguez, Transportation Planning Official,
and Mr. John Osborne, Director, (see attached resumes) has provided considerable input to MCHD
regarding the Complete Streets process. The Department is in favor of developing a Complete Streets
policy and putting in writing the regulations for engineering roadways and Public Works Standards.
Currently, the Department follows a policy that complies with Complete Streets elements for all future
roadways, but no written policy exists as of yet that will mandate retrofitting of roadways that do not
accommodate all users. Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Osborne share the Health Department’s concerns about
the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, especially on U.S. 41, and they are in full support of using this
grant opportunity to help get the process underway. They will be involved in selecting the appropriate
consultant to be hired with these funds, and advising him/her in carrying out the tasks required to draft
Complete Streets policy language for the County’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan and Land
Development Code.
MCHD has also been in contact with injury prevention organizations such as Safe Kids, Safe Routes
to Schools, the Manatee County School District, and the Manatee County Community Traffic Safety
Team, who are all supportive of a Complete Streets policy that will enhance safety for children and
community members on the roads. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has also endorsed this project as
a great opportunity to reduce traffic crashes and related injuries and fatalities (see attached letter of
support).
Capacity building.
CDC Best Practices are encouraging public health practitioners to move away from traditional health
education and toward health policy with the understanding that public health policy affects more people
over a longer amount of time than traditional health education. As such, public health practitioners need
more specialized training to work on target policies. Working with the consultant will provide the MCHD
staff and the Coalition with the type of hands-on training experience that has proven effective in Manatee
County. This experience will increase the organizations’ capacity for contributing to these projects in the
future.
Including a public health perspective in transportation and community design is important because the
built environment has been proven to contribute to people’s overall health and well-being. This project
will familiarize the health department staff with the community design process and will forge
relationships with community design stakeholders, asserting the MCHD’s voice as integral and necessary
in projects moving forward. MCHD staff already have created new relationships with MPO and County
Planning staff through the grant application process alone, laying groundwork for future collaboration.
All partners are excited about working together as this project unfolds.

12
Attachment A: Budget
The Power of Policy: Innovation to Improve Health Budget
Applicant Organization Name: Manatee County Health Department
Line Item Justification Funding
Request
Other
Funding
Total
Personnel (staff and consultants)
Engineering Consultant
(TBD)
Consultant will plan and write
Complete Streets policy for
Comprehensive Plan, Land
Works Design Standards ($48,000
annual salary x 100% time x 10-
month funding period)
$40,000 $0 $40,000
Manatee County PWD Labor required to implement
alternate bike route signage along
US 41 corridor
$0 $5,400** $5,400
Megan Jourdan, Manatee
County Health
Department, Program
Manager
Program Manager will coordinate
communications and partnership
collaborations for this project
($42,162 annual salary x 10% time
x 10-month funding period)
$0 $3513.50+
$3513.50
Tony Rodriguez,
Division, Consultant
Transportation Planning Consultant
will coordinate between the
Planning Division and PWD
($41/hour x 10 hours/month x 10-
month funding period)
$0 $4,100§
$4,100
John Osborne,
Division, Consultant
Transportation Planning Consultant
will coordinate between the
Planning Division and PWD
($90,000 annual salary x 10% time
x 10-month funding period)
$0 $7,500§
$7,500
Sub-Total $40,000 $20,513.50 $60,513.50
Travel
N/A $0 $0 $0
Sub-Total $0 $0 $0
Supplies
40 Alternate Bike Route
Directional Signs
Direct pedestrians and bicyclists to
alternate routes that bypass busy
thoroughfares ($40 per sign x 40
signs)
$0 $1,600** $1,600
40 Sign Posts 40 posts to hold 1 directional sign
each ($45 per post x 40 posts)
$0 $1,800** $1,800
Sub-Total $0 $3,400 $3,400

13
Other costs (e.g., telephone, postage, printing, photocopying, and equipment rental)
Amendment Fee Fee required for text amendment to
Comprehensive Plan
$0 $20,000§
$20,000
Sub-Total $0 $20,000 $20,000
Total $40,000.00 $43,913.50 $83,913.50
* Sarasota-Manatee MPO
** Manatee County PWD
+
State of Florida
§
Manatee County BDSD
Budget Narrative:
Personnel:
An engineering consultant will be hired by the Manatee County BDSD at an annual salary of $48,000
for the 10-month funding period, totaling $40,000 from APHA. This consultant will be responsible for
establishing criteria for roads in the County for retrofit projects; engineering cross-sections (i.e. designing
elements of Complete Streets for all varieties of road and intersection classifications) to be included in the
County’s Public Works Engineering Standards; drafting goals, objectives, and policies to add to the
County’s Comprehensive Plan; providing a web-based GIS inventory of available transit, bicyclist, and
pedestrian infrastructure resources and alternate routes on the Manatee County website; and drafting
amendments to the County’s Land Development Code.
Manatee County PWD staff will be responsible for carrying out the tasks needed to comply with the
written Complete Streets policy. As identified in the project description, the initial Complete Streets
duties of the PWD will be to install directional signage guiding community members to alternate bicycle
routes that bypass the most dangerous road in the county, U.S. 41. The labor involved to install 40 signs
on 20 posts will total $5,400, provided as an in-kind donation from the PWD.
Ms. Megan Jourdan will serve as Program Manager at the Manatee County Health Department,
coordinating efforts and communications among all agencies involved, and serving as a point of contact
for APHA funding allocations. She will spend an estimated 10% of her working hours on this project for
the 10-month period, totaling $3513.50 of her annual salary paid in-kind by the State of Florida.
Mr. Tony Rodriguez and Mr. John Osborne will represent the Manatee County BDSD to work on this
initiative. They will coordinate efforts between the Transportation Planning Division and the PWD, in
addition to overseeing the selection and work of the hired engineering consultant. Mr. Rodriguez works at
an hourly rate of $41 per hour and will commit 10 hours per month on this project. Over a 10-month
period, he will donate 100 hours and $4,100 worth of personnel time. Mr. Osborne earns an annual salary
of $90,000 and will commit 10% of his time to this project through the funding period, for a total
donation of $7,500 worth of personnel time. This totals $11,600 of in-kind donations from the BDSD.
Supplies:
After the policy is passed, road signs and sign posts will be purchased in-kind by the PWD to comply
with the policy’s regulations for alternate bicycle routes. The signs will serve the purpose of directing
individuals to alternate bicycle routes to bypass U.S. Route 41 from 26th
Avenue to Manatee Avenue,
approximately 20 blocks. Two signs will be posted (one in each direction) on every block, for a total of
40 signs and 40 sign posts. Road signs typically cost $40 each and posts cost $45 each. 40 signs at $40
each totals $1,600, and 40 sign posts at $45 each totals $1,800.
Other Costs:
A text amendment to the Manatee County Comprehensive Transportation plan typically requires a
$20,000 fee that will be waived as an in-kind donation from the Manatee County BDSD.

14
Attachment B: Staff and Partner Resumes

16
Jennifer Bencie, MD, MSA
Administrator
In August 2009, Jennifer Bencie became the Administrator of the Manatee County Health Department,
Florida Department of Health. She oversees a staff of 140, and a $10 million budget. The agency is
involved in many community projects including worksite wellness, pediatric and overseas travel
immunizations and environmental health monitoring. Dr. Bencie previously served as the Director,
Division of Emergency Medical Operations for the Florida Department of Health in Tallahassee.
The Division is comprised of the four Offices of Public Health Preparedness, Emergency Operations,
Trauma and Injury Prevention, as well as the Bureau of EMS and the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury
Program. Including the CDC and ASPR federal grants, the division budget is approximately $200 million.
Dr. Bencie is the former Administrator, Seminole County Health Department, (Sanford, FL) as well
as Health /Medical Co-chair for the Region 5 Domestic Security Task Force, comprising nine counties in
central Florida. Jennifer has also served as Acting Director, Miami-Dade County Health Department,
Assistant Director, Orange County (Orlando, FL) Health Department and Assistant Professor, Florida
State University College of Medicine. Dr. Bencie has also been a member of numerous national
bioterrorism committees, such as NACCHO (National Association of County/City Health Officials) and the
US Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate and the US
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Homeland Security Research Center, and as well as
local organizations including the Bradenton Kiwanis, United Way, Arts and Health Coalition, Suncoast
Workforce and Manatee County Medical Society.
Prior to her years of service with the Florida Department of Health, Dr. Bencie was an assistant director
at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics. She received her undergraduate degree from
Brown University, her medical degree from UAG, Mexico and her master's degree in health
administration from Central Michigan University at Fort Gordon, Georgia.

17
BIO
Michael P. Howe, J.D.
Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
Executive Director
A native of the Kansas City area, Michael and his wife Marsha relocated to Bradenton in 2000 after
several years of vacations to our area. He is a 1976 graduate of Rockhurst University in Kansas City with a
B.A. in Industrial Relations, Magna Cum Laude. In 1979, he received his Juris Doctorate in Law from the
University of Missouri, Kansas City.
For six years Michael served as Assistant City Attorney and then Deputy City Attorney for the City of
Kansas City, Kansas where he was responsible for planning and development issues and litigation facing
the City including transportation.
In 1986 he joined the City of Lenexa, a high growth suburban community of Kansas City (highest rate in
1980's) as City Attorney. During his ten year tenure in Lenexa, Michael developed and managed a six
member Legal Department and guided the municipality through all of its explosive growth and
intergovernmental issues including numerous road, bridge, and highway projects in conjunction with
Kansas Department of Transportation and federal agencies. He drafted the Kansas City Area’s first
transportation based development impact fee ordinance.
In 1996 he became a member-partner in a large Midwestern law firm of Lewis, Rice & Fingerish, L.L.C.
serving in their Litigation Department and specializing in government, land use and development, and
environmental law.
Upon his arrival to Florida, Michael was the Director of Zoning Services, Florida Area of American Tower
Corporation, an international telecommunications infrastructure company where he managed a staff of 15
planning professionals in four offices throughout Florida. He was responsible for all land use (zoning-
special permits) applications to cities and counties pertaining to cellular communication towers for all the
major providers (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, etc.). Michael assisted numerous cities and counties in their
communication ordinance rewrites and has appeared before city and county boards and commissions
throughout Florida.
Michael is the author of several published papers regarding planning and development law and the attorney
of record in five planning and development cases before the Kansas Supreme Court. He is a member of the
Kansas and Missouri Bars, several federal courts and the United States Supreme Court.
In 2002, Michael joined the Sarasota/Manatee MPO as its Planning Manager responsible for overseeing all
planning programs, project development, intergovernmental coordination, public involvement, public
transportation and special projects of the MPO. In July, 2005 he was appointed Executive Director of the
MPO responsible for all organizational activities and implementation of all policy directives and decisions
of the 15 member Sarasota/Manatee MPO Board of elected and gubernatorial appointed officials. He was
elected Chair (2008-2010) of the MPO Advisory Council Directors representing all 26 MPOs in the State
and is currently the Chair of the MPOAC Revenue Study Committee.

18
DAVID L. HUTCHINSON
David L. Hutchinson serves as Planning Manager for the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO). His multidisciplinary generalist background spans 30 years and combines planning,
public policy and administration. Hutchinson’s duties involve regional transportation planning and
relationships to land use, economic development, environmental science, safety and security,
infrastructure interdependencies, and sustainability/livability.
Previously, Hutchinson served as Planning Director for the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council
(SWFRPC). He represented the Council in regional transportation planning matters, and oversaw
Development of Regional Impact (DRI) and Comprehensive Plan reviews. Before that, he served as
senior policy analyst for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Office of Policy Planning in
Tallahassee; his work involved statewide transportation planning, concurrency and growth
management issues including troubleshooting situations throughout Florida. He provided technical
assistance and presented training for FDOT Districts and local governments. Prior to that he served as
intergovernmental liaison for FDOT's District One Southwest Area Office in Fort Myers. He is a full
member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the American Planning Association, and the
Florida Planning & Zoning Association.
He served as a member of four Metropolitan Planning Organization Technical Advisory Committees--for
Sarasota, Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties, as a member of the Tampa Bay Area Transportation
Authority (TBARTA) Land Use Working Group, and as a member of FDOT’s Southwest Florida
Transportation Model Coordinating Committee. He managed the SWFRPC’s “Creating Better Places:
Transit-Oriented Development Design Competition” which received an “Excellence in Regional
Transportation Award” from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) in 2010.
Hutchinson served on the Project Working Group for the “Guide for Review and Assessment of Local
Mobility Plans” produced by the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of
South Florida for FDOT, as a Stakeholder for the FDOT and Florida Department of Community Affairs
(DCA) “Joint Report on the Mobility Fee Methodology Study,” and on the Technical Team for the DCA
“Transportation Concurrency Best Practices Guide.”
He also served as a member of the FDOT Site Impact Handbook Technical Team assembled by CUTR, and
as a member of the statewide Working Group for the FDOT Corridor Management/Growth
Management Study directed by CUTR. He also served on the Technical Advisory Panel assembled by
FDOT to assist the Department in developing a Community Capture methodology for analyzing regional
traffic impacts of new, sustainable (or self-sustaining) communities.
Before moving to Florida, Hutchinson was County Administrator and Administrator/Assistant Road
Supervisor in Grand County, Utah. His duties included serving on the County’s Development Review
Committee, overseeing runway and hangar improvements at the Canyonland Fields airport, planning
and economic development activities, and advising the Planning Commission. He was instrumental in
infrastructure, corridor planning, telecommunications, and regional geographic information system (GIS)
collaboration initiatives. Before that, he served as Legislative Aide and represented the San Diego
County Board of Supervisors in a wide range of community and regional planning processes involving
transportation (including roads, light rail, transit), other public works activities, public safety, and
economic development.

19
TONY RODRIGUEZ, AICP
Phone: (941) 748-4501 Ext. 6879 Email: tony.rodriguez@mymanatee.org
Twenty-two years public and private sector experience within the areas of policy, management,
planning and engineering.
Professional Career
Transportation Planning Official, Building and Development Services, Manatee County, FL
Deputy Director, Transportation Management, Public Works, Manatee County, FL
Deputy Director/Transportation Division Manager, Public Works, City of Tampa, FL
Base Community Planner, Chugach Management Services Inc., MacDill Air Force Base, FL
Project Manager, Dames & Moore Group, Tampa, FL
Research Assistant, Center for Urban Transportation Research, Tampa, FL
Project Engineer, Eastes & Associates, Inc., Tampa, FL
Civic Involvement
Leadership Manatee, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, 2011-2012 Class
Transportation Committee, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Member
Operations Committee of the Super Bowl XLIII Task Force, Chair Traffic Subcommittee
Friends of Clean City Tampa, Board Member/Initial Executive Director
Military Affairs Committee, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Past Member
Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, Past Commissioner (Ex-Officio)
Air Force Integrated Process Team (IPT) on Comprehensive Planning, Past Member
Facilities/Equipment Committee, Bel-Mar Presbyterian Church, Past Chair
Finance Committee, Heritage Isles Community Council, Past Chair
Academic Background
Graduate coursework in Public Administration, Troy University, Tampa, Florida
B.S.C.E., Civil Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
A.A., Engineering, Saint Petersburg Junior College, Clearwater, Florida
Professional Affiliations
American Planning Association/American Institute of Certified Planners
American Public Works Association
Institute of Transportation Engineers (Past President, University of South Florida Chapter)
Eno Transportation Leadership Development Foundation (Charter Eno Fellow, 1993)
Order of the Engineer
Certifications
Certified Planner, American Institute of Certified Planners
Engineer Intern, Florida Board of Professional Engineers

Attachment C: Letters of Support
20

Manatee County APHA Power of Policy Application

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