Jay McChord is as energetic and passionate a person as you’ll find in America. While many know him as a generational communication consultant, a Lexington, Kentucky City Councilman, or even as a former University of Kentucky “Wildcat” mascot, livable streets advocates should know him as the chief architect of the only statewide ciclovia program in the United States: Kentucky’s (2S) initiative (http://www.2ndsundayky.com/index.htm).
Jay McChord is as energetic and passionate a person as you'll find in America. While many know him as a generational communication consultant, a Lexington, Kentucky City Councilman, or even as a former University of Kentucky "Wildcat" mascot, livable streets advocates should know him as the chief architect of the only statewide ciclovia program in the United States: Kentucky's (2S) initiative (http://www.2ndsundayky.com/index.htm).
McChord's "ah-ha!" moment occurred while hearing Enrique Penalosa tell the story of Bogota, Columbia's famed ciclovia. It was then that McChord realized the connection between the built environment and public health, and that bringing such an initiative to Kentucky was imperative.
In Diana Doggett, a University of Kentucky's extension agent in Fayette County, McChord found a kindred spirit who understood not only the value of developing a ciclovia in Lexington, but the potential impact of expanding it statewide (with agents in all 120 counties, Kentucky's university extension system provides an invaluable organizational network.) Within months the pair miraculously secured seed funding and coaxed 70 counties to simultaneously run their own local, place-based 2S initiatives on the second Sunday of October 2008. Their initial goal was 12.
In 2009 the number of participating counties climbed to 101. Logically, the goal for 2010 is to have all 120 counties simultaneously walking, bicycling, skating, dancing, talking, and playing in the streets together.
In advance of meeting this goal the City of Lexington is moving their wildly popular, and now monthly 2S initiative to the flattest, smoothest piece of concrete in the state: the Blue Grass Airport's new 4,000 foot runway. Here, on Sunday, June 13th, Kentuckians will be able to watch commercial flights come and go while walking, bicycling, running, and playing on a new runway before it opens to commercial air traffic this fall.
"When has an airport been a health provider?!" McChord asks emphatically. "The symbolism of this particular event and the general shift in mentality that Second Sunday enables is incredible. We've seen Second Sunday help state agencies, local municipal officials, volunteers, and advocates work together on issues that must be addressed holistically, and not just in Kentucky, but nationwide. Second Sunday is the best, and only way we've found in Kentucky to get people out of their silos to work together."
When asked about the innovative livable streets event, Doggett replied, "Lexington's Second Sunday event at the airport is another unique example of how Kentucky is creatively addressing the need for access to improved and additional places to be physically active. Second Sunday has been successful mainly due to statewide partnerships and the coordinating efforts of the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension network. Expanding activity in the built environment will not by itself solve Kentucky's serious chronic disease and obesity issues, but does provide families with ongoing opportunity to explore venues and services that can support their effort to lead healthier lifestyles."
It's clear that 2S is having a tremendous effect in a state that "eats too much and exercises too little," according to Tom Eblen who recently wrote an article in the local newspaper about the 2S Blue Grass Airport event. Indeed, Kentucky's health indicators regularly rank amongthe nations worst. In the same article Eblen reminds readers that the Blue Grass State currently has the highest cancer rate in the country, the third highest rate of heart disease and smoking , and the ninth highest rate of premature deaths of all kinds.
McChord refers to the stats despairingly as the "Kentucky Uglies."
"We are learning that people in Kentucky are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Second Sunday is helping us break the cycle by getting thousands of people outside exercising in an enjoyable, community-based social setting."
McChord and Doggett's goals don't stop at the state line, however, as both are working tirelessly to push 2S as a national model for transforming the physical and economic health of the country. McChord asserts that the 2S model is simple, replicable, and highly effective at promoting healthier lifestyles and a more balanced use of public infrastructure.
To that end, McChord and Doggett want nothing less than a national holiday dedicated to healthy activity where streets are concurrently closed to motor vehicles and opened to people in every state in the union.
How ‘bout it America?
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Write for Planetizen
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.