[IndianaTrails] FW: Draft MPO Regional Pedestrian Plan Web Site

[Kevin Heber]

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) recently
commissioned a "Regional Pedestrian Plan" for Indianapolis and the
surrounding areas.  The draft of this plan is now online at
<http://www.storrowkinsella.com/projectwebs/0105a_regpedplan/index.html>
www.storrowkinsella.com/projectwebs/0105a_regpedplan/index.html and on the
page are also e-mail addresses for submitting feedback.
 
This epic plan outlines a comprehensive, non-motorized transportation
network for the entire region, with the exception of bike lanes and other
bike-exclusive solutions.  The plan considers everything such a network
would need: safe, comfortable routes from/to home, work, recreation,
education, and transit, using a broad spectrum of meticulously described
trail/pathway designs.  It incorporates existing paths and plans, and
highlights the best future opportunities for each county, including funding
mechanisms.  Additional treatment is given to quality factors such as
character, vitality, economic development and social justice.
 
In short, this work could serve as a model for any community trail network
which wants to emphasize transportation.  Many of the technical descriptions
in the front half are reference quality, especially with regard to moving
pedestrians through complex, high-interference areas.  Another example of a
regional trail plan can be found with the NIRPC MPO (Northwest
<http://www.nirpc.org/Bike%20Plan%20Home.html> Indiana).
 
In my opinion, the Indy MPO plan can serve as the regional trail master plan
many of us been seeking for the area.  It's now up to each area's elected
officials to support/incorporate it, and cooperate with neighboring areas,
or not.  We can now work to extend these plans outward to the next ring of
counties/cities.
 
I also believe that with so many opportunities, we should distill the
picture for tourists (both resident and non-resident!) and put special
emphasis on a few "headline" cross-county trails like the Monon, B&O,
Pennsy, etc.  For example, the Miami Valley Trail network
<http://www.mvrpc.org/recTrails/> in SW Ohio assigns signed route numbers to
its favorite spoke trails.  What this might look like here is shown on this
<http://www.indianatrails.org/9-county_overview.htm> page.
 
Thanks for any input you can provide to the MPO on this plan, and for
letting me share my thoughts here.
 
Kevin Heber
kevin at indianatrails.org
317-410-0755
www.indianatrails.org <http://www.indianatrails.org/> 
 
 <http://www.indianatrails.org/>  
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Jenelle Collins [mailto:collins at storrowkinsella.com] 
Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 3:33 PM
To: rwhittington at co.boone.in.us; emitro at zionsville-in.gov;
llantz at town.zionsville.in.us; chuck at kcassociates.com; cek at co.hamilton.in.us;
bjd at co.hamilton.in.us; awp at co.hamilton.in.us; ebecker at westfield.in.gov;
pruittg at fishers.in.us; dickeyj at fishers.in.us; shuntley at noblesville.in.us;
msweat at washingtontownship-hc.us; Mike Dale; Byron Settles;
heikingj at fishers.in.us; townmgr at town-cumberland.com;
planner at town-cumberland.com; Amy Butcher; andredenman at indygov.org;
bherring at insightbb.com; mpard at iquest.net; tbrooklyn at sican.net;
ccooley at westfield.in.gov; ebone at hhcorp.org; kevin at indianatrails.org;
lsturgis at mymailbox.indstate.edu; rreiman at centralincommuter.net;
rstroup137 at yahoo.com; mayorofsoport at aol.com;
msweat at washingtontownship-hc.us; tjones at zionsville-in.gov;
rjohnson at noblesville.in.us
Subject: Draft MPO Regional Pedestrian Plan Web Site


Thank you for your recent interest and participation in the Metropolitan
Planning Organization's Regional Pedestrian Plan planning process. The draft
Regional Pedestrian Plan and draft maps are available at
<http://www.storrowkinsella.com/projectwebs/0105a_regpedplan/index.html>
http://www.storrowkinsella.com/projectwebs/0105a_regpedplan/index.html.
Please forward this link to others. 
 
All comments are due by Thursday, September 28, 2006. We ask that you send
comments to Amy Inman, MPO ( <mailto:ainman at indygov.org> ainman at indygov.org)
and copy Storrow Kinsella Associates ( <mailto:collins at storrowkinsella.com>
collins at storrowkinsella.com).
 
Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you again for your time,
interest, and participation. We look forward to hearing from you.
 
 
Jenelle Collins, AICP
STORROW KINSELLA ASSOCIATES INC 
212 West 10th Street . Studio A440 . Indianapolis IN 46202 
studio      317.639.3420      fax 317.639.2425 
email        <mailto:collins at storrowkinsella.com>
collins at storrowkinsella.com  
website     <blocked::http://www.storrowkinsella.com/>
www.storrowkinsella.com 
 
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