Allegan asked to talk the walk with MDOT

Those in Allegan interested in making the community a better place to walk are invited to talk to the Michigan Department of Transportation about it.

MDOT will be in Allegan Aug. 21 to hear what people have to say about the walking conditions in the community. There also will be a discussion of design improvement ideas and an opportunity to evaluate walking conditions and receive free, expert advice on how to provide a safe and attractive environment for walking.

The session also offers engineers, planners, city officials and residents a chance to learn about walkability, bicycle and pedestrian planning, street corridor and intersection design, traffic flow and calming.

Health professionals, educators and those in related fields can learn about designs for neighborhoods that promote walking to encourage healthy lifestyles and build communities.

The meeting in Allegan is one of 17 being conducted around the state as part of a series of walkability audits.

The audits will be conducted by Dan Burden of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute. He has 38 years of experience in developing, promoting and evaluating active transportation facilities, traffic calming practices and walkable communities.

The audits are intended to help city engineers, planners, officials and residents, health education professionals and others realize the benefits of providing a safe and attractive environment for walking.

There is no charge for participants to take part in a walk or attend a presentation.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Bill Shreck, MDOT