Community asked to comment on sidewalk needs

Press release from the City:

Community asked to comment on sidewalk needs
Sidewalk Survey Ready for Responses

Mayor Tom Henry is inviting residents to complete surveys asking for priorities on how to make the community easier to navigate for walkers. City Utilities customers will find a brief survey in their August bills, regarding sidewalks and asking for input on which locations are destinations that may need increased service from sidewalks, trails and other pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. The effort was started at the direction of Mayor Henry, who wants to make Fort Wayne an easier city to navigate for pedestrians.

“It’s important to help our citizens connect with the destinations they find most necessary,” said Mayor Tom Henry. “We recognize that many people use our sidewalk system for recreation and leisure, but also for transportation, traveling to a school, shopping center or a medical office, for instance. Making sure we have safe, adequate facilities for them is important. This effort aims to identify the areas throughout the community where we need to consider connecting or creating more accessible pedestrian opportunities.”

A cross-functional internal City team has been working on mapping the existing sidewalks and trails. An advisory group made up of external stakeholders is also helping with identifying potential user groups such as seniors and immigrants.

Besides the survey in City Utility bills, they will be available at Allen County Public Library branches within the city during the month of August, and at local community centers and facilities through September. All surveys should be turned back in to the City by the end of September. Residents are also encouraged to go online to complete the survey at www.cityoffortwayne.org/sidewalkplan. The deadline for responses is Sept. 30.

The goal is to have results by mid-October. The Sidewalk Plan will ultimately help provide guidance for plans and development of pedestrian infrastructure along major roadways over the next several years. Mayor Henry has previously implemented working groups to assess bicycle infrastructure and high speed rail, as part of making the community more accessible to various forms of transportation.

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