There’s about 30 people a year killed and another 100 people seriously injured along roads in Marion County and surrounding areas. Many of these incidents happening in an area with no sidewalk.
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The last master plan helped Churchman Avenue in Beech Grove get a new sidewalk several years ago. The last plan was created back in 2006 but a lot that has changed in more than 13 years. That’s why planners want to hear from residents.
Churchman Avenue has homes, the high school and even a police station. Yet it didn’t get a sidewalk between Emerson and Arlington until 2017.
After 18 months of work, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization or MPO is in the final stretch of its latest Regional Pedestrian Plan.
MPO principal planner Jen Higginbotham tells News 8 the idea is to prioritize which roads most desperately need help so that in future years they can be addressed.
“So many people are actually dying on the roadways possibly because they’re not visible, possibly because they’re not on a sidewalk. We don’t know exactly but there are people that need safe places to walk.”
The MPO takes the federal dollars raised from the gas tax and allocates them to big projects including roads, roundabouts, trails, transit as well as sidewalks.
MPO VIDEOS (Metropolitan Planning Organization)
Planners say of more than 5,400 miles of main roads in the 8-county area, just 31% have a sidewalk. More than 3,700 miles do not — mileage which does not include interstates and neighborhood streets.
Higginbotham said it’s a bit of a surprise to see how many even urban pockets don’t allow people to walk a short 0.5 mile to the grocery store.
“Walking is important,” she said. “If you think about it, for one, it’s the cheapest way to get around, it’s free to use your legs and for reasons of health.”
And of course, not everyone has access to a car.
So if you live in the 975-square mile area covered by the MPO, and there’s 1.5 million people who do, take a look and tell the MPO what you think because it may be another 13 years before it happens again.
“We would like to see for the communities in the region to take the plans we’ve created and use it as a resource in their own planning,” said Higginbotham.
These plans affect 33 cities and towns in 8 counties from A to Z, Arcadia to Zionsville.
There are a number of ways you can leave feedback including email, Facebook and Twitter. The deadline for public input is Jan. 22, that’s Wednesday.
The Pedestrian Plan will be presented to the Regional Transportation Council on Feb. 19.
Click here to view the current plan and submit your input online.
SOURCE: WISH
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