An important step

In this snowy weather, some like to reminisce about walking to school each day in knee-deep snow. Believe at least part of these stories. In 1969, half of the country’s students walked or rode bicycles to school, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Now, fewer than 15 percent do.

The Spokane Regional Health District would like to get children back in the habit of walking to school. It’s part of an initiative to get the whole county walking for health. We’re a chubby group. Six out of 10 Spokane County residents are overweight. North Idaho residents share the problem; 62 percent of them are at overweight or obese.

Obesity is a public health issue. The byproducts of obesity – diabetes, heart disease and joint erosion – can translate to lifelong medication, expensive heart procedures and pricey knee and hip replacements. People with health insurance share the cost with insurers. Taxpayers help pick up the tab for treatment of the uninsured.

We can get the Inland Northwest walking by:

“Making it safer. The health district initiative is brainstorming ways to increase crosswalks and encourage school staff support for kids who wish to walk. In the old days, children walked to school with siblings and neighbors. There was always safety in numbers. In this pedophile-aware time, it might be necessary to add adults to these walking parties. Just as carpools proliferated in the 1970s, maybe “walk-pools” will proliferate in 2008 and beyond.

“Making it user-friendly. You’ve seen some hardy winter walkers out these past few days, but they haven’t had easy footfalls due to unshoveled sidewalks. In Spokane, property owners are required to keep the adjacent sidewalks shoveled; many do not. But at least sidewalks are required in Spokane. City code revisions passed in 2006 mandate sidewalks on all public and private streets, and they must be connected to the city’s pedestrian network.

“Making it part of community policy. Spokane County’s comprehensive plan requires the county’s transportation network to “provide safe and convenient bicycle and walking access between housing, recreation, shopping, schools, community facilities and mass transit access points.” And obstructions should be minimized.

“There are places here and there doing this and that, but there’s not a whole lot yet,” says City Councilman Richard Rush, who campaigned, in part, on making Spokane a walkable city. “Clearly, our comprehensive plan protects and preserves the pedestrians. Having that network to get anywhere on foot is critical.”

Rush gives kudos to the health district for jump-starting this important dialogue about community walking.

So do we. Now, let’s all get talking – and walking.