Chapter 12:  Creating a Walkable Community

Why focus on the environment?

A “Walkable” Community

Making Walking Accessible

Support for a “Walkable” Community

The Impact of a “Walkable” Community Task Force

Developing a “Walkable” Community Task Force

Communicating with the Task Force

Sustaining the Momentum

Chapter 12 Appendices

Why focus on the environment?

A media campaign can get people interested in walking, but sustaining that interest requires environmental and policy changes.  Among community interventions, environment and policy changes potentially have the greatest influence on human behavior.  Environments can dictate, limit, or sustain a range of behaviors.  Increased access to safe walking trails, convenient fitness centers, sidewalks with adequate street crossings, enjoyable scenery, contact with others who are walking, and limits on motor vehicle traffic all positively influence walking behaviors.

When you begin to address environmental issues, several questions will arise, such as: Are our sidewalks clear and in good condition?  Are there continuous walkways on many of our city streets?  Can our children walk to school safely?  Can I walk at night and feel safe? 

A “Walkable” Community 

Making a walkable community involves transforming our communities from auto congested, angry, and uncivilized space into peaceful, economical, successful, and viable villages, neighborhoods, towns, and regions.  It transitions local planning, roadway design and funding decisions from reactive to proactive and increases a town’s livability and financial viability.

The end results of a walkable community effort is a focus on public process and older traditional street and town-making principles that enhance a sense of place and individual town character.  It is an idea worthy of all people who believe it is time to rebuild our communities. (See Appendix 12-a for an information sheet on “Walkable” Community.)

Making Walking Accessible

 Walking can be done almost anywhere as long as facilities are available.  There are many issues to consider, such as safety of walkers, convenience of walking areas, lighting for those who prefer to walk in the evening, and places to walk when it is cold or wet outside.  In addition, when choosing a location, walkers may consider the availability of water fountains, juice/water machines, restrooms, mile markers, fitness stations, emergency telephones, and trash receptacles.  They may also choose to walk in an area that is aesthetically pleasing.  This may mean putting energy into planting flowers, cutting grass, and keeping trails void of debris.  For example, in Wheeling, a task force is in the process of having service groups and school children adopt sections of trails, much like the adopt a highway program, to ensure the trails are well maintained.

Making Options Available

In order to make it easy for people to walk, they must have options available. One outdoor preference may be as close as the sidewalk outside one’s home.  Other outdoor alternatives include walking and bike trails, public school facilities, hiking tails, beaches, college or university facilities, parks, and playgrounds.

Some indoor walking options include malls, public schools after hours, college or university sport complexes, churches, fitness centers, office buildings, and home treadmills.  It is important to know what indoor walking options are available in the community.  Contact public school, college, and university administrators to get their support for your community walking initiative.  They are part of the community and may be willing to allow community members to use their indoor and outdoor facilities for walking.  In addition, churches may be willing to open their doors to walkers. Many malls already have established early morning walking programs.  Never assume that an organization or agency will not want walkers to use their facility; many will not mind and some will enthusiastically support the idea.

Support for a Walkable Community

Engineers, planners, architects, landscape architects, developers, politicians, citizen advocates, ADA specialists, retailers, neighborhood leaders, administrators, and environmentalists all embrace the ideas of walkable communities.  A walkable community assimilates ideas, concepts, and issues at the center of smart community growth.  The focus is on making communities livable, friendly, and connected rather than sprawling and busy. 

Following the Wheeling media campaign, the original advisory board regrouped and was charged by the Mayor of Wheeling to function as the Walkable Wheeling Task Force.  Its mission: is to pursue policy and environmental changes to further support and enhance walking in the community.  The actions of the task force steadily gained recognition; the mayor then charged the task force with developing a list of recommendations related to the promotion of walking for the Wheeling community. 

The Impact of a Walkable Community Task Force

The impact can be as small or large as the Task Force members desire. For example, the Task Force may decide their goal is to clean-up existing trails and walking areas.  This could be accomplished by hosting Spring and Fall clean-up days, planting flowers and other greenery, and placing receptacle bins along busy walking paths.  This project may be relatively easy to implement and accomplish and have a small to medium impact on the community.

In addition, the Task Force may have as their goal improving safety on trails and streets.  Improving safety could have a great impact on a community, but is likely to be a more complex and involved issue taking many resources to accomplish.  Multiple public and private agencies would be involved; funding would need to be considered and several options would need reviewed.  Improving safety might mean local police patrolling trails and neighborhoods or the installation of emergency phones.

The Walkable Wheeling Task Force is actively involved in expanding walking opportunities in the community.  Following are examples of Walkable Wheeling Task Force accomplishments:

• The Task Force is helping the city connect existing community trails by procuring a legal right-of-way to privately owned land sections between two ends of a trail.  The Director of the Wheeling Division of Recreation is a member of the Task Force and his involvement has led to the promotion of recreational walking as a priority for the future. 

• The Task Force was influential in convincing new sponsors of the prestigious Wheeling Distance Classic 20 kilometer race to actively promote walking in the race. 

• The Army Corps of Engineers has affirmed the request of the Task Force to include trail enhancements on a trail located along a creek in its strategic plan to upgrade the creek.

None of these accomplishments occurred overnight.  The members of the Task Force have been working on these efforts for 12-18 months.  They have contacted people they know to help promote these activities and to introduce them to other who could assist.  Persistence and patience have guided the efforts of the Task Force.

When developing a Walkable Community Task Force, consider the following steps:

1. Recruit support from a community leader.  A community leader will give credibility to the task force and influence others to join the Task Force.  This influential person could be the mayor, other elected official, or influential civic or business leader.  For example, in Wheeling, the mayor supported the concept of a walkable community and asked that a Task Force examine and act upon policy and environmental issues.  This gave credibility to the Task Force and when we invited people to join the committee they were pleased to do so.

2. Identify, by name or position, the people you would like on the Task Force.  Personally invite all of them to join the Task Force.  It is important to remember that not all identified individuals will join the Task Force.  Send each individual a convincing letter, stressing the importance of having them on the Task Force.  Be sure to identify the support of the influential community leader, explain what the Task Force hopes to accomplish, indicate the time commitment involved, and invite them to an initial meeting.  Follow-up the written invitation with a phone call.  Community leaders such as the mayor, sheriff, city council, planning commissioners, county commissioners, city manager, members of local running and walking clubs, members of faith communities, representatives of the health department, representatives from trail organizations, state and national government officials, hospital administrators, fitness center representatives, the media, legislators, public school administrators, American Heart Association representatives, Breast and Cervical Cancer program representatives, the local cancer prevention specialist, state Bureau of Public Health, Department of Highway representatives, college and university administrators, walking and fitness advocates in the community, and anyone involved in your prior efforts to promote walking should be invited to join your Task Force.  Yes, this is a long list of individuals, but you will need each individual’s involvement as you attempt to make changes in your community.

Task Force Meetings

Scheduling the meeting:  Schedule the task force meeting in a convenient location with ample parking.  We suggest the task force meets monthly to generate and keep momentum.  In addition, schedule the meetings at a convenient time for members.  It may be most beneficial to schedule the meetings at the convenience of your most active and interested task force members. 

Tasks for the meeting: It is best to have a community member facilitate and/or chair this Task Force.  This creates a feeling of community ownership from the onset. 

Assign a member of the staff to assist the Chairman with meeting preparations, such as reserving the meeting room, ordering food, preparing the agenda, bringing minutes to the meeting, and by being at the meeting 15-20 minutes early to greet participants and have them sign-in.  It is important to have all participants sign-in.  This way you will have a record of attendance and obtain current addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. 

Note:  Be sure a staff member issues a press release and invites the media to all of your meetings. 

Keep in mind that your task force members are busy.  Take steps to ensure a productive meeting:

• Start the meeting on time
• Have a printed agenda for each participant
• Review minutes from the last meeting
• Stay on task, follow the agenda, allow everyone a chance to speak
• Assign action items with deadlines
• Set a date for the next meeting
• Thank everyone for attending and encourage them to bring a friend or co-worker to the next meeting.
• Follow-up on action items at the next meeting

Communicating with the Task Force

Between Task Force meetings, you will need to communicate with Task Force members.  Create e-mail mailing lists, regular mailing lists and labels, and phone lists from your sign-in sheets.  The Walkable Wheeling Task Force has found it easiest and most economical to e-mail agendas, minutes, and last minute meeting reminders.  For those without e-mail, mail and telephone have been utilized.  Make sure you e-mail minutes, agendas, and meeting notices to all interested individuals, even if they have not regularly attended meetings. At some time they may find an issue of particular interest and become a great strength to the committee.

Sustaining the Momentum

To sustain the excitement and momentum of your walking campaign, we suggest scheduling a series of community workshops.  These workshops should focus on ways to make your community more “walkable”.

• Invite individuals considered to be vital resources to the success of the workshop objectives.  

• Encourage attendance by offering a door prize.  The door prize should reinforce the walking theme, such as, walking shoes, a pedometer, etc.  The door prize may act as an incentive to get participants to join the Walkable Community Task Force.  (See Appendix 12-b for door prize request.)

• Be sure all participants sign-in.  The Sign-in sheet should include the person’s name, organization, street address, e-mail address, and phone number.  From the sign-in sheets you can create a mailing list and labels of community members who are interested in your walking initiative.  In addition, use the list to send a thank you note for participating in the workshop.

For example, WHEELING WALKS conducted a workshop to mobilize the resources necessary to make the Wheeling area a safe and attractive place to walk.  A West Virginia University engineering team experienced in developing a walkable community assisted attendees with generating and prioritizing a list of environmental issues to pursue (see Appendix 12-c for a packet of information on this Walkable Communities Workshop).  Several of those proposed initiatives had identified time lines and responsible parties assigned for their completion or monitoring.  The list of proposed initiatives was then given to the Walkable Wheeling Task Force to monitor progress and to address as needed. 

Note:  It may be beneficial to hire an expert on environmental issues to assist the task force to create, prioritize, and develop an initial walkable community work plan.

Chapter 12 Appendices

Are Wheeling’s walkways clear and in good condition?

Are there continuous walkways on most of Wheeling’s streets?

These questions are being asked by more and more people every day.
As a step toward improving conditions in Wheeling for pedestrians,
WHEELING WALKS and Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation
is sponsoring the

Walkable Communities Workshop

The Walkable Communities Workshop designed to mobilize the resources necessary to make the Wheeling area a safe and attractive place to walk. You are invited because you are one of the vital resources that is needed to make this effort a success.

During the workshop, you will learn more about what can be done to help Wheeling become more pedestrian-friendly, and develop an action plan for making the Wheeling area more walkable. 

                           WHEN:           Tuesday, March 19, 2002
                          
                         WHERE:           Wheeling Artesan Center, 3^rd floor Reception area
 
                             TIME:            2:00 - 6:00 pm     -- Dinner 6:00-7:00 pm;
                                                                               Catered by the River City Ale Works

Your Input is Needed -- Please Join Us

RVSP: 
Name
Address
Phone number

Appendix 12-b

Sample Donation Request Letter

                                         December 3, 2002

Hole’N Run
XX Washington Ave.
Wheeling, WV 26003

Dear Sir or Madam:

Following up on the very successful WHEELING WALKS walking campaign in Wheeling last April, we are continuing our efforts to promote walking in Wheeling and hope that you will assist us in our efforts. On March 19, 2002, we will be hosting a very important event for the community.

This Walkable Community Workshop is designed to mobilize the resources necessary to make the Wheeling area a safe and attractive place to walk. Individuals considered to be vital resources needed to make this effort a success are being invited. 

It is our desire to give a “door” prize for this event and we hope that you will offer to donate a pair of walking shoes. We would like to use these shoes as an incentive to participate.  We will proudly display Hole’N Run as a sponsor in all media material whenever possible.

Thank you for you consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

           Deborah XXXXXXX
           Project Facilitator

Appendix 12-c

WALKABLE WHEELING WORKSHOP Materials

--One-page Informational Flyer on Workshop
--Trifold flyer on Workshop w/ agenda
--Detailed Agenda
--Notes on Workshop with recommendations
--Post-Workshop Press Release

One-page Informational Flyer
on Walkable Community Workshop

Walkable Community Workshop
Presented by: Ronald W. Eck, PE, Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering
 West Virginia University- PO Box 6103, Morgantown, WV 26506-6103
Tel.: 304-293-3031 x 2627  Fax: 304-293-7109  email: reck@wvu.edu

This highly visual, and information rich workshop addresses the remaking of towns from auto congested, angry and uncivil space into peaceful, economically successful, viable village centers, neighborhoods, towns, and regions. A sense of place, individual town character, civic pride, respect for government, trust, and a celebration of the civil servant are end results of focus on public process, and older traditional street and town making principles.

Introductions - 2:05 PM

This presentation validates the ideas, knowledge, values and beliefs of each audience. The workshop kicks hard at the shin of antiquated ways of believing and behaving. It confirms and focuses on important versus meaningless uses of a decision makers’ or citizens’ time and money.

Local Viewpoint  - 2:25 PM

The Walkable Community Workshop shouts at us to successfully motivate the men and women in our community to make Wheeling a more “walkable” community. Everyone must start working, whether we sit on a planning commission, city council, county commission, chamber of commerce, school board or serve as a lead official. This is a workshop worthy of all people who believe it is time to rebuild America, neighborhood by neighborhood. It is a workshop for those who wish to return cities to their original greatness through hard, disciplined, inspired, team driven work. This workshop celebrates men and women who are performing Herculean efforts to build fun, responsible, socially and financially responsible public works and private projects. 

What Is the Pedestrian Safety Problem? - 2:30 PM

Streets perform many missions in addition to moving and storing vehicles. Both main streets and neighborhood roads serve as “outdoor living rooms”. Well-constructed streets elicit appropriate behavior, increasing neighborliness, association, belonging, acceptance, pride, and play. When roadways become focused for inappropriate motorist volumes or behavior, streets become problems, breeding crime, litter, disrepair of properties and other social problems. Streets teach young people life skills; They allow seniors and people with disabilities to interact with others. Well-designed streets provide safe and efficient movement of all vehicles, while also providing for sanitation, utilities, and timely emergency response. Quality design of streets determines property values. When streets are engineered for fewer purposes, focused on moving traffic and little else, they fail the greater needs of a city. One of the greatest challenges to any town or city is identifying, funding, and bringing together a coalition of stakeholders to revive decaying and unhealthy urban streets.

BREAK

What Is the Walkability Problem? - 3:00 PM

This workshop explores the street pattern, conventional Vs traditional streets. How our street designs became unhealthy. The designer’s role to define and set appropriate speeds and behavior. Tools for altering behavior. The role of trees, trails, alleys, lanes, streets, avenues, boulevards and parkways. Road Diets and other successful street conversions. Reducing the number of lanes while improving efficiency, capacity, and safety. Setting the right dimensions, handling fire, bicycle and pedestrian access, increasing resident safety. The design vehicle, proper curb radii and centerline radii. Meeting the needs of fire, sanitation, and maintenance vehicles.

Vision of A Walkable Community  - 3:15 PM

At the heart of building and measuring walkable communities is the presence of people walking, bicycling, sitting, and exchanging. We need to help document the problems of and engender new and better qualities of streets and public places – to create places not to just walk, but to live with civility, pride and passion, and to celebrate urban life.

Local Problem Identification (Break-Out Group)  - 4:00 PM

Transportation research must have heart and soul, as well as substance and purpose. Our towns are hurting and our researchers are in one of the best positions to start the healing. If societies in all places of the world are to remain stable and healthy for centuries to come, we must learn to move more on our own… shorter distances and with less impact on resources of the planet. Our life-style of auto-based travel is becoming disruptive in virtually all households. There are no easy answers. There is no end to growing urban traffic congestion but a growing number of citizens want peacefulness where they live and an end to the sprawl they bought into.

BREAK

Organizing for Success  - 5:00 PM

Most cities struggle not with design issues, but with techniques for implementing change. Research is needed to address the best methods and processes for overcoming fear of change, methods for gaining public participation and support, developing models, and disbursing information widely and quickly on the success of these new models.

Where Do We Go from Here? - 5:15 PM

Working independently people develop common issues like family, safety, beauty, natural, open space and eco-tourism. People also want an area to be attractive, friendly, prosperous, fun and festive. Setting up pedestrian committees can make sure that everyone has thorough training and instruction, and a willingness to develop important models for the community.  The role of implementers is to guide participants in friendly ways to design tables where they can act on their values and overcome mediocrity.

Help Is Available  - 5:30 PM

Walking audits, orientation, brainstorming and prioritizing are all useful tools in developing a walkability project. Other workshop events for citizens allow a bit of presentation on what similar communities are doing to embrace change as thy design their walkable community. Designers can see the importance of common community consensus items such as trees, medians, and sidewalks.

Summary and Wrap-Up  - 5:45 PM

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Post-Workshop Press Release

 

The WHEELING WALKS Campaign, West Virginia University and Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation held a Walkable Community Workshop on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 at the Artisan Center at 1400 Main St., Wheeling. The workshop conducted by Ron Eck a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at WVU is designed to mobilize the resources necessary to make the Wheeling area a safe and attractive place to walk. Areas discussed include the pedestrian safety problem, the walkability problem, the vision of a walkable community and organizing for success. Community leaders, Ohio Valley Runners/Walkers Club members, and WHEELING WALKS participants were invited to attend. During the workshop, members learned about the problems that pedestrians face every day and joined together to develop an action plan for making the Wheeling area more walkable.

Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation hosted a dinner that followed at the River City Ale Works. Mayor Nick Sparachane, Ohio County Sheriff Tom Burgoyne and Councilman R. “Herk" Henry were honored for their efforts to make Wheeling a more “walkable” community. Other Honorees included Judi Hladek, founder and CEO of The Wellness Bridge, Ruby Greathouse, President, Brooke Pioneer Trail and Dr. William Mercer, Director Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department. Special recognition was also given to Rich Carnahan of IDEA GIANT and Courtney Hunnell, out-going Wheeling marketing director.

Judi Hladek’s organization logged over 28,000 miles during the WHEELING WALKS campaign and Greathouse has been instrumental in plans to connect the trails in Brooke County with Ohio County. Sheriff Burgoyne’s office is a participating worksite of WHEELING WALKS.

IDEA GIANT is a newly formed company in Wheeling that developed the website and graphics for WHEELING WALKS. The website is www.wheelingwalks.org.

WHEELING WALKS challenges individuals to walk 30 minutes or more on almost every day. Regular walking (30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on almost every day) has all the benefits of other more strenuous (macho) activities, and it is less likely to cause injury. Regular walking can cut your risk of heart disease by one half and benefits occur immediately.

The next meeting of the Walkable Wheeling Task Force is scheduled for Monday, April 1, from 3:00 to 4:30 on the 3rd floor of the Artisan Building in Wheeling. All interested individuals and groups are invited to attend and become involved. Please call 740-695-3683 for more information.

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