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Plan4Health Nashua

A collaborative project integrating planning and public health where we live, learn, work, and play.

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About Nashua New Hampshire’s

second largest city with 86,933 residents

Two-thirds of population is either over-weight or obese

17.4% of 3rd grade students are obese

9.3% of residents are below the poverty level

Unemployment rate is 6.2%

These trends are more pronounced in certain areas of Nashua

Plan4Health Nashua

Coalition began in early 2015 with a $125,000 grant from the APA to support active transportation in Nashua

Builds off work already being done by City of Nashua to address obesity

Goal is to advance street planning and design that support safe multi-modal transportation

Founding Partners:

Integration with Community Health Improvement Planning

Last year, the Greater Nashua Public Health Advisory Council officially endorsed the Plan4Health Nashua program as a community initiative included in Nashua’s 2015-2018 Community Health Improvement Plan.

Convening PartnersThe coalition continues to expand to include community members from all sectors.

Example partners: NeighborWorks Greater Nashua Boys & Girls

Club Police Athletic League Goodale’s Bike Shop Nashua YMCA Complete Streets Coalition of

New Hampshire Nashua Silver Knights Positive Street Art Great American Downtown

The coalition convened 18 partners in October 2016 to meet with the mayor, share information, and advance Complete Streets work in Nashua.

Street AnalysisObjective: Determine how easy or difficult it is for bicyclists and pedestrians to get around the City. Level of Traffic Stress

(LTS) score was given to Nashua streets

A similar study is being done for walkability

LTS DataSegments, approaches, and intersections are given an LTS score from 1 to 4, with 4 being the most “stressful” – or least suitable for bicyclists.

The five neighborhoods that show high LTS scores represent 50% of the Nashua population, and include areas with the greatest social, economic, and environmental disparities.

Community Map with LTS data overlay:Orange and red indicate higher levels of traffic stress for bicyclists

Complete Streets Guidebook Informed by LTS street

analysis and ordinance review

Ideas to work toward equity in access for all users

Assessment of current street and trail conditions

Opportunities for creating and maintaining alternative transportation networks for increased connection

Considerations for policy updates to ensure streets are safe and convenient for all users

Education NHPHA Annual Meeting HEAL NH Conference Planning Board

Presentation Complete Streets

Training Temporary installations

Project updates to state legislators

Newsletter articles to partners constituents Nashua’s Mayor was one of several

speakers at Plan4Health Nashua’s Complete Streets Training in March 2016.

Community Outreach Educate community Garner support for

Complete Streets Feedback about walking

and bicycling habits and comfort level to adjust LTS data as necessary

Plan4Health Nashua attended several events, including NeighborFest in June 2015, to promote the project while getting feedback from the community about how safe they feel certain Nashua streets are for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Multi-Media Communications Press releases Guest editorials Visibility at events Web pages Facebook & Twitter Fact sheets & rack card Newsletters Video Webinar “Monday morning, 18 community members from

a wide range of groups met at City Hall and walked along the Nashua Heritage Rail Trail and discussed Plan4Health Nashua’s Complete Streets Project and improvement of the area’s walkability.”– Published 10/21/15 in The Nashua Telegraph

The Work Continues• Part of 2015-2018

Community Health Improvement Plan

• “Planning for Parks and Playgrounds” project led by NRPC in Nashua

• Charrette in June to discuss community revitalization – including walkability – in Nashua’s French Hill neighborhood

• Supporting other NH communities by providing Complete Streets materials and best practices

• Participating in efforts for statewide Complete Streets policy

In May 2016, P4HN participated in a Complete Streets informational session in Nashua, one of many such events organizations by the statewide Complete Streets Coalition.