A few dozen members of the public attended an open house transportation meeting at the Sherburne History Center Tuesday evening to learn more about a regional walking and biking plan.

 

The event was a joint effort by the public health departments of Wright, Sherburne, Benton and Stearns counties who are working together under the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP), to develop a Regional Active Transportation Plan that identifies a set of strategies that can be implemented by SHIP staff and community partners in the region.

 

Over the past few years, MnDOT has been developing a statewide bike plan and pedestrian plan.

 

Antonio Rosell with the consulting firm,  Community Design Group, said the four counties are taking that information and trying to customize it to fit the four-county region.

“They are looking at more details: What are the networks that are needed to make it easier for people to walk and bike, and also to tie it to the statewide networks that are being developed,” said Rosell.

 

Joel Torkelson, Health Promotion Coordinator for Wright County HHS, said walking and biking are important for improving health and fighting obesity. The plan, which is being funded by SHIP, is being designed to help that fight.

 

“A lot of this work is rooted in the issue of obesity,” he said. “We know that issue of obesity didn’t happen overnight and we know that we’re not going to create a region where you can walk and bike everywhere overnight, either.”

 

But the facts show that walking and biking have lots of advantages. There were displays showing how walking and biking improve not only health, but save money.

 

Studies show people who walk or bike to work use fewer sick days; individuals who bike an average of three hours a week reduced their mortality rate by 40%; annual healthcare costs for one employer decreased 4.4% after incentives for employees to bike to work were implemented; walkable, bikeable places attract tourists and other travellers who spend $18 to $80 per day in the community.

 

Torkelson said the goal is to work with cities, counties and MnDOT to try to make a region that supports walking and biking, not only for recreation but for transportation.

 

“That’s our vision - to create a region where waling and biking are part of everyday life,” he said.

 

Over the past year, the group has been gathering input from citizens, including an online survey where people could chose their preferred biking and walking routes.

 

Torkelson said those routes will ultimately tie in to the statewide biking and walking network - a map of routes identified as the most optimum to get bikers and walkers where theywant to go.

 

The plan is expected to be completed by the end of this month. Torkelson said the plan will be presented to local elected officials on Oct. 21 and 22. He is hoping to gain their support and MnDOT’s so that they can be part of the discussion when construction projects are being planned.

 

He said hopefully, the plan will be  successful, like the Wright County trail plan that was developed in 2011. 

 

“They pulled in $3 million in capital improvement funding to build trails because it was identified as a priority,” he said. “We hope this plan will allow cities, counties and MnDOT to put resources into projects to improve (walking and biking) connections.”

 

For information about the plan, or to offer input,   check their website at www.regionalatp.org, or contact a SHIP representative at your county public health department.