So you have a plan — or at least a concept — that will enhance the livability index for your community by offering some great new opportunities for walking and bicycling. Maybe it’s a conceptual layout for a beautifully landscaped riverwalk, or a shared-use pathway that would strategically meander from key residential areas to the central business district, and onward to the town park. Maybe it involves establishing safer routes to school. At any rate, your local group (be it a municipal board or a citizens’ advisory committee) is pretty proud of its plan, and you have a strong community consensus giving the green light to go ahead and build it.

But how are you going to pay for it? Read more »

Is your community walkable? Can the people in your neighborhood safely get from their homes to the central business district without a car if they choose to? Can your children walk (and/or bike) safely to school? Does your community have the basic recreational facilities needed to offer healthy lifestyle alternatives for adults and children alike?

Many communities around the state are grappling with these issues and finding cost-effective ways to enhance their local multi-modal transportation for all of their citizens — including those who choose to walk or bike for short errands or for sheer exercise. Read more »