By Betsy Johnson

Stroll Bike Springfield was awarded a 2022 America Walks GM Group Change Grant.

Exploring the Magnificence in On a regular basis Walks

In 2014 our native planning company recruited residents from throughout Springfield to develop a Full Streets coverage. By summer season 2015, the Metropolis had didn’t undertake the coverage, so we began WalkBike Springfield. Inside three months, we received the coverage handed! 9 years later, we’re nonetheless assembly month-to-month in an ongoing effort to enhance the security of strolling and bicycling in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Profitable initiatives embrace making a bicycle community map, passage of a 25 mph default velocity restrict, passage of strolling security training for all second graders, aiding the Metropolis to acquire state and federal funds for full streets initiatives, shared streets initiatives, and Protected Streets 4 All intersection and hall enhancements, and the constructing of Springfield’s first bike/skate park.

Springfield, Massachusetts situated on the Connecticut River, with a inhabitants of simply over 150,000, is the third largest metropolis in Massachusetts and business heart of western New England. Its roadways mirror 1960 – 70’s design – 4 lane arterials by means of neighborhoods, constructed to get of us out and in of Springfield somewhat than to make sure the security of metropolis residents. The main focus of our AmericaWalks and Protected Roads Alliance grant was one in all these arterials – a 3.3-mile stretch of Roosevelt Avenue.

Roosevelt Avenue Group Change Grant Undertaking

Roosevelt Avenue is residence to 2 faculties, 4 excessive faculties, two center faculties, one elementary college, seven main employers, quite a few different employers, senior housing and senior heart Springfield’s second largest park with pool & skating rink, two church buildings, nationwide guard amenities, and extra – to not point out the residential areas of 5 neighborhood associations.

We utilized for the grant as a result of we wished to be proactive, somewhat than simply
responding to roadway initiatives being undertaken by the Metropolis and State. By means of a wide range of out-reach actions we gathered prompt enhancements.

First, we developed a survey. This Google survey included illustrations and explanations of attainable pedestrian and bicycle owner security enhancements. The survey was distributed to contacts at faculties, companies, neighborhood associations, and thru the WalkBike Springfield community. We created a presentation that we gave at three neighborhood affiliation conferences. On the conferences we collected surveys and recruited volunteers.

As a part of Bike Month, we performed a “Bike Audit”. Massachusetts had simply enacted new weak customers laws, which requires all autos to provide cyclists, walkers and others utilizing the roadway 4 toes passing distance. To reveal 4 toes, we hooked up pool noodles to the bicycles and street the size of Roosevelt Avenue. We additionally assessed the place a shared used path was possible versus protected and unprotected bike lanes.

We performed three stroll audits. One was with the help of the Springfield Well being Division and the statewide pedestrian advocacy group, WalkMassachusetts. We recorded that the 4 lanes might readily be solely two lanes (street eating regimen) as a result of a narrower part already exists going below an underpass. We noticed college students from the highschool working throughout the street to get to the sidewalk that exists solely on the alternative aspect of the road. We mused {that a} round-about might make a three-way intersection (with a excessive crash historical past) really crossable by pedestrians.

A second stroll audit was held on the different finish of Roosevelt by WalkBike Springfield volunteers on an August Sunday afternoon. This enabled us to extra safely stroll (towards the visitors) as a result of there aren’t any sidewalks for many of this mile part. A key success of the audit was to find out that the pedestrian name button on the busy Web page and Roosevelt intersection was not working (we waited by means of six cycles!) One of many members reported the failure to “311” and the Metropolis has really repaired the sign.

The third stroll audit was with seniors from a senior residence complicated, which is only one/3 mile away from the Metropolis’s new Senior Heart. Further due to AARP for supporting WalkMassachusetts who was capable of help us with this audit. There’s a sign from the complicated throughout Roosevelt to Blunt Park the place the Heart is situated. However, the sign is timed for the scholars on the close by highschool – our seniors have been unable to cross within the allotted time. As soon as throughout the road there aren’t any sidewalks within the Park to the Heart. An general purpose of the challenge is to determine the decrease value enhancements (lengthening the pedestrian section and putting in “pedestrians in roadway” indicators), in addition to the extra moderate-cost objects, corresponding to really putting in sidewalks.

We held a neighborhood discussion board. We despatched invitations and distributed flyers to the neighborhood associations, native companies, and faculties. Springfield Prep Constitution Faculty was our host. The big gymnasium enabled us the structure the 20 sections of enlarged Google map photos of your complete 3.3 stretch of roadway. Due to the Pioneer Valley Planning Fee for creating the map sections. We began the discussion board with a presentation that summarized the findings from the surveys, in addition to an outline of the sorts of enhancements members might counsel. Utilizing sticky pads, of us then added to the map prompt concepts for bettering security of Roosevelt Avenue for all customers.

Sixth, we now have began the compilation of prompt enhancements. As talked about, a primary focus is a list of lower-cost objects corresponding to modifying pedestrian indicators, putting in college zone signage, putting in radar detection velocity indicators, repainting crosswalks, and so on. A second grouping are moderate-cost objects corresponding to putting in sidewalks, putting in crosswalk beacons, putting in raised crossings, and portray bike lanes. The third grouping are enhancements requiring extra engineering corresponding to set up of shared use paths, general street eating regimen, intersection round-abouts, and new signalization, for instance.

Subsequent Steps

The challenge has created momentum. We have already got requests to conduct extra stroll audits. We are going to proceed out-reach to the employers and faculties. We are going to extra previously current our suggestions to Metropolis and State elected officers and workers, and work with them to determine funding alternatives.