I wrote the article below for the recent “Progress” section of the Northfield News. I can’t find the article online, so I’m posting it in its entirety here. It summarizes progress we have made on nonmotorized transportation issues here in Northfield, Minnesota:

Over four years ago several of us Northfielders started working to make our area safer and more inviting for walking, biking, and otherwise getting around under our own power. In part we were building on others’ work, but in other ways we were breaking from the recent past—a past in which sidewalks often were not considered an important part of the street system and transportation plans made scant reference to nonmotorized modes of travel.

Since then, the collective efforts of the entire community—including elected leaders, city staff, interested citizens, and various boards, commissions, task forces, and community groups—have led to many improvements. Here are some examples:

• organization of the first Walk to School Day and a successful Safe Routes to Schools grant proposal, which funded, among other things, an engineering study of walking and biking routes to schools and training for a police officer and local citizens to become certified bicycle instructors

• pedestrian improvements such as a beautiful walkway along the river at 5th and Water Streets, a pedestrian wayfinding system downtown, new sidewalks in various locations, and additional time for the walk signals on Highway 3 at 2nd St. and 5th St.

• installation of more bicycle parking racks downtown and bike lanes on 5th Street

• construction of the Peggy Prowe Bridge over the Cannon River for the Mill Towns Trail

• and, most importantly, a new Comprehensive Plan, Transportation Plan, Parks Plan, and a draft Land Development Code that move us from a nearly total focus on motor vehicle transportation to a “complete streets” or multi-modal transportation outlook, including more options for mixed-use development

One group involved in these improvements, the Task Force on Nonmotorized Transportation, on which I have served as chair, will conclude in August after two years of service, but there is more that we must do as a community to advance a full range of transportation options. Following are three things that I hope Northfield can accomplish soon:

• implementation of the walkways and bikeways in the Parks and Trails plan, starting with the lowest-cost component: the on-street bike lanes and bike routes.

• creation of a permanent Transportation Commission to assist the City Council and city staff. It would address all modes of transportation, motorized and nonmotorized (including transit) and would help Northfield compete for scarce transportation dollars and advance important projects such as improvements to Highway 19.

• finally, we simply need more people out there traveling under their own power. More people on foot, bikes, skateboards, and roller blades will make streets and walkways safer and more inviting for everyone.

At a time when we face the tremendous challenge of climate change and growing health problems due to obesity and diabetes, it’s more important than ever that we continue to provide active, low-polluting transportation options to our citizens. And in a time of economic hardship, we must enable people to travel by less expensive means.

Bill Ostrem is chair of the Northfield Area Task Force on Nonmotorized Transportation

This entry was posted on Monday, August 10th, 2009 at 5:14 pm and is filed under Biking/Walking, Northfield.