"Even if you do not use bicycle or rail, the community benefits to having integrated infrastructure are broad," explains Jack Shu, President of the Cleveland National Forest Foundation, which has been involved in San Diego County transportation and land use planning for over a decade.

"Walkable, vibrant city-centers help businesses thrive, and help families safely and conveniently move between schools, workplaces, and shopping resources.

"Transit is a major component to protecting our natural resources as our population increases."

The public is invited to show their support through mild exercise on March 16 and join Mayor Bob Filner, Cleveland National Forest Foundation, Transit San Diego, Sierra Club San Diego Environmental Health Coalition, SanDiego350.org, Bike San Diego and other transportation, environmental justice and climate activists who are sponsoring Vibrant San Diego, a community walk and rally.

It is the hopes of this rally to make a point to San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to "design our roadways and rail systems to improve access for all users," states the Transit San Diego press release.

Public support is needed of the 50-10 Plan, "to prioritize build-out of fifty years’ worth of SANDAG’s light rail and active transportation in the first ten years of implementation."

The Vibrant San Diego walk starts at 10 a.m. in front of Walgreens (University Avenue and 32nd Street) and goes for about a mile, ending in the Albertsons parking lot (University Avenue and Mississippi Street).

The rally portion of the morning should then get under way around 11:15 a.m. in that same Albertson's parking lot where the walk ended.

The press release goes on to mention various sponsoring groups and their views on the issue at hand:
"Mike Bullock, Transportation Committee Chair of the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club, supports CNFF’s vision. 'The Chapter recognizes that the 50-10 Plan’s transit-first approach is the key ingredient of climate stabilization support. We salute the CNFF’s leadership.'

"Georgette Gomez of Environmental Health Coalition agrees. 'Families with fewer economic means, including aging members of our society and children, often suffer the greatest health impacts from the emissions near roads-dense areas of San Diego. Offloading our roads and providing clean means of moving people and our economy is optimal.'

"In addition, this is an opportunity for city planners to reduce our carbon footprint. Active in SanDiego350.org, Angela Deegan advocates for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. 'More active transportation and public transit means fewer GHG emissions and less vulnerability to wildfires and coastal flooding for your average San Diegan.'

"Also represented at the community walk is Bike San Diego. It is actively engaged with local San Diego governments to implement better bicycle infrastructure, and Sam Ollinger, executive director and board president, said San Diego needs to design better roadways with bicyclists in mind. 'Our environment is largely human-engineered. It has been designed around the automobile to the exclusion of other transportation mode choices. San Diegans – and future generations of San Diegans – deserve better."

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/mar/14/41918/ Image by Transit San Diego