Another Green Monday: Everybody Cut Footlose
Do you have a car to buy groceries or go to work or school in Spokane?
In a recent Getting There column, Mike Prager reported Spokane has 650 miles of streets that lack sidewalks and most residential areas do not have handicapped ramps at intersections. The city has been tackling the sidewalk deficit in recent years. Last year, more than 23,000 feet of new sidewalks were installed, along with 650 new curb ramps- the lack of ADA ramps being a huge challenge in the communit.
Walking can be an insane experience in Spokane. I think a lot of folks are forced to jaywalk in certain areas due to lack of connectivity and we end up watching the cars, not the signals.
The Pedestrian Master Plan, as previously discussed, has the potential to change our walkability. The Plan will help to increase pedestrian safety and mobility, support a multimodal transportation system, and provide guidance on the best use of resources to implement pedestrian initiatives. You can review the project materials to learn what the project has accomplished. You can find out how to get involved in upcoming meetings and events. You can also let planning staff know what you think by sending in your comments and questions.
For some background on what other cities have done as a comparison and contrast, the Pedestrian Bicycle and Information Center released its list of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in the US, with 11 getting rankings from Platinum to Bronze and 8 more getting 'honorable mentions'. Only one city received the highest honor. Find out which one after the jump.
You can see the criteria used to make the selection by clicking on the links below:
Platinum Level
Gold Level
Silver Level
Bronze Level
Honorable Mention
- Cedarburg, WI
- Coeur d'Alene, ID
- Concord, NH
- Franklin, TN
- Juneau, AK
- Louisville, KY
- Sparks, NV
- Temple Terrace, FL
Via Walk Friendly, The Atlantic
