Improved access for bike riders in the works

If you don’t have the energy or incentive to get outside and take a walk or a bike ride, you may when you finish this article. That’s because several new resources and projects have either recently been completed or are in the works that could make it easier to find places to walk and bike in the greater Spokane area. At the Spokane Regional Transportation Council, we just distributed 2009 Spokane Regional Bike Maps. The map breaks down Spokane-area roads into facilities with shared use paths, bicycle lanes, shared roadways, and suggested commuter and recreation routes. A new feature shows hills, so prospective riders will know in advance if a route is too steep for their skills. Those maps available for free at local bike shops and R.E.I., and at the “Bicycle and Pedestrian Resources” section of the SRTC website, www.srtc.org. The Spokane Regional Health District also has a new map available, “Walking and Hiking in Spokane County,” which was developed in conjunction with the National Park Service and the Inland Northwest Trails Coalition. The map shows eight pedestrian routes throughout Spokane County, the distance of each, whether the trail is paved, dirt, or sidewalks, the average time to walk or hike it, and how many calories are burned on each route. This map is also free and can be found at city and county libraries, the Spokane Regional Health District, or the Health District website at www.srhd.org. The Health District and SRTC are working to put finishing touches on a Regional Master Pedestrian Plan which includes policies to promote physical activity in Spokane County and the need for additional projects and programs that encourage walking. The Pedestrian Plan is in the final stages of editing and will be put out for public comment in the next few months. SRTC is also working on projects with The Lands Council, the City of Spokane, Spokane Transit Authority, the Bicycle Advisory Board, the Health District, and others. The group focuses on troubleshooting and improving the environment for bicycling and walking and promoting these modes of active transportation. This summer, members began compiling information from a recent “walkability audit” of Monroe Street from the north end of the Monroe Street Bridge to Boone Avenue. This evaluation of the walking environment identifies concerns for pedestrians related to safety, access, comfort, and convenience. When these concerns are addressed and facilities adequate, more people will walk, bike, and use public transit. These behaviors can lead to improved physical health, reduced air pollution, decreased transportation costs, improved property values, and a greater sense of community. In addition to identifying problem areas, audits can identify potential alternatives or solutions, such as engineering treatments, policy changes, or education and enforcement measures. This active transportation group is interested in conducting walkability audits in other neighborhoods, and hopes to put together a packet and video to show residents how to conduct their own audits. This non-motorized group is looking into launching a pilot ‘Summer Parkways’ event, which would involve closing streets to vehicle traffic for a day or part of a day in favor of walking, bicycling, rolling, etc. The group is about connecting neighborhoods and people: walkers, runners, bikers, seniors, adults, and children enjoying neighborhood streets filled with activities along the route, in a car-free environment. These ‘Parkway’ events are held in Portland, Seattle, and other parts of the world as opportunities to encourage physical activity and build community. If funding becomes available and local government and civic leaders support the event, you’ll hopefully be attending a Summer Parkways event next year. The City of Spokane also has other biking news in the works; construction on phase two of the Fish Lake Trail started in August, and the City’s new Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator is officially on the job. The Fish Lake Trail is being extended by approximately 4 miles from the Sunset Highway to the end of the paved section of the trail at Scribner Road. That section is expected to be complete this fall. That will leave just one more section of the Fish Lake Trail to be completed when funds become available. Grant Wencel is the City’s new Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator. He started work in mid-June and is learning all the bicycle and pedestrian projects under way in the area, and how they fit together. Staci Lehman is the Public Information/Education Coordinator for the Spokane Regional Transportation Council/Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization.