There are gaps in Greater Akron’s pedestrian and bike networks that make it difficult to get around without a car.
A new report from the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study, which serves Portage, Stark and parts of Wayne counties, focuses on practical ways to close the gaps in the area’s network of sidewalks, bike paths and pedestrian trails.
The recommendations included in the Active Transportation Plan will make it easier for everyone to get around, Mobility Planner Heather Reidl said.
"We were looking at ways to make that better. So that included a lot of, you know, increasing sidewalks, fixing sidewalks, making sure there are bike lanes, increasing the number of shared use paths in the region."
Active transportation includes ways to get around that don't rely on a motorized vehicle, like a car, and includes biking, walking, and running.
Overall, the current state of active transportation networks is on a good track, Reidl said, but there is room for improvement.
"There's a lot more sidewalk coverage in the urban areas and less so in the suburban areas, but overall, we found that the region is, conducive to active transportation," she said. "We're all doing a good job, we want to keep doing more and do a better job, but there are already a lot of connections."
The planning process began in August, Reidl said, and involved mapping current active transportation networks and seeking public feedback on room for improvement before issuing a map of recommended shared-use paths that connect existing networks.
"We have a map where it says, hey, there's a trail that exists here and here, and there's a gap in between," Reidl said. "Maybe we can close up this gap and it would allow a lot more transportation, a lot more activity, better connections for a lot of the residents that live in that area."
Connecting multipurpose trails, improving sidewalks and putting in bike lanes can make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get around Greater Akron, but Reidl said filling in gaps in the current network can also make car-less transportation safer.
"Let's make sure the region is able to be, traversed on foot on scooters and wheelchairs for people with strollers trying to get around everyone," she said "We want to make sure everyone has the ability to get where they need to be."
Doing so will also improve public health by giving more residents an opportunity to get outdoors, reduce carbon emissions by decreasing dependence on personal vehicles like cars, and benefit the economy, Reidl said.
"We find that if people are on foot or on bicycle, … and they're able to get around easier, they tend to make more trips — more frequent trips — to where they need to be," she said. "We find that communities that are more bike friendly tend to have businesses, like little shops that are more successful."
AMATS will help implement the recommended improvements through directing federal funding and continued public engagement efforts, Reidl said.
