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Home My WebLink AboutNortheast Walkability Study.PDFFwd: Northeast Walkabilitv Studv Norma Manning Page 1 of2 From: Sent: To: Walter R. Lynn [wrl1@cornell.edu] Wednesday, May 10, 200610:.15 AM Norma Mannino Subject: Fwd: Northeast Walkability Study Attachments: NE recruiting steerin#B05g7.doc; NEMapl.pdf Piease include this note and attachments with the agenda that you are sending out and in the Mayor,sreport so that we can find out whether anyone is inierested in particip ating. ilso please tell kboigellathat what we are doing in regard to her request. Walter --- begin forwarded text From : lcb oryella@tomp kins - c o . org To : j kanter @tow nithac a. ny. us, wrll @c omell. e du Date: Wed, 10 May 2006 08:47::q -0400 Subj ect: Northeast Walkabilitv Studv Priority: normal Content-type: text/plain; charset:US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding : TBIT Content-description: Mail message body Hello Jonathan and Walter, The County Planning Department would soon like to begin work on the walkability study in the northeast neighborhood. Ideally, we'd like tlo hold the first steering committee meeting in early June. I'm writing to find out whether you've had aiy tuckin thinking of or recruiting steering committee members for this pioject. I've attached the project description and map. Please let me know as soon as possible if you know of any people who may bewilling and able to serye on the steering committee. thanks for your help and advice, Katie Katherine Borsella flnlnal Planier, Tompkins County planning Dept. 127 East Court Street Ithaca,NY 14850 Ph: (607) 274-5560,Fax: (607) 274-5578 kborgella@tompkins- co. org 05/r0t2006 Walkability Study Northeast Ithaca The walkability of a community affects access to resources, housing, entertainment, and employment. Itcan also influence the health of residents, as well as commun ity interaction, colesion and sense ofcommunity identity' Many factors, ranging from lack of sidewalks to steep terrarn can impact thewalkability of a community. Despite the divirsity of factors that influence walfability, it is often definedonlv in terms of distance from point A to point -B. This study *iil "t .-pt ffi;;;;iy and quantify bothoverarching and location-specific issues that could be addressid to improve a commumty,s walkabilify. It is intended that the walkability Study undertaken with federal rransportation, community and SystemsPreservation Program (TCSP) grant funds will serve as a pilot study foi other communities that may wishto better understand walkability in their communities in the future. The Northeast Ithaca walkabilityStudy will focus on the area within the Town of Ithaca and village of Cayuga H"rgrrt. that is located tothe east of Triphammer Road and north of Hanshaw Road. The study will provide specificrecommendations to improve and enhance pedestrian access to important destinations, such as schools,shopping, employment, and health centers. The study consists of six main tasks: Task 1: Review Plans and proposals Task 2: Develop a Site Specific Resident-Based Survey Tool Task 3: Develop a GIS Inventory and Assessment Tool Task 4: Conduct Walking Survey Task 5: Develop Results and Recommendations for the Study Area Task 6: Prepare Report and Disseminate Results Stantec, a consulting architecfure and engineering, planning and landscape architectural firm, has beenhired to conduct the study, under the guidance of-tn" rompt<ins County planning Department and. aSteering Committee composed of local stakeholders. It is anticipated that the Steering Committee willmeet three times between June 2006 and. January 2007, though members may be asked to occasionallyreview and comment on materials between meeting times. Input and guidance from the Committee will be crucial to the success of the project. Topics expected tocome before the Committee include: 1) Identifz walkability issues in the area, as well as important local plans and proposals for theconsultants to revrew. 2) Identify important destinations just outside the study area that residents in the study area maywant to walk to. 3) Review and modify a suvey tool developed by the consultants for individuals, communityassociations, and groups of residents to use to evaluate the walkability of the area.4) Plan the best methods to engage the local community in the prolect.5) Review the results of an evaluation of the pedestrian environment based on computer maps of thearca and Geographic Information System analysis.6) Review the meth^odology develop"i uy the consultants for recording and analyzingthe results ofthe survey tool after it is completed.7) Advise the consultants' on effective ways to reach the public to plan and implement the walkingsurvey (expected timeframe for conducting the survey is August - october;.8) Review the consultants' draft recommendations for changes to the pedestrian network andenvironment prior to holding a public meeting on the study. u x.o tuzo LEXINGTONzo4+F Jooz ,t >(r'1', @ 6 m !r lE'n\1 >^ -^hi6-o /4.\Qo ul tr zoF ut r a z m m OE 6 Map 1: Northeast lthaca ffi study Area Boundary 1,000 500 o 1,000 2,OOO 3,000 -iFeet Prepared by Tompkins County planning Depaftment March 2006 wal kabilityN E Map 1. mxd