A large number of main thoroughfares and inner-neighborhood streets lack pedestrian infrastructure; now, cities are drafting plans to play catch-up, but what do the people who will be affected most want?
This month’s Community Focus topic asked, “Do you support walkability?” It also touched on the topic of smaller commercial projects or mixed-use developments in other parts of a city to ease the necessity to drive for groceries and other goods and services.
“I have been saying Battle Ground needs more multimodal focused infrastructure since we moved back 15 years ago,” Battle Ground resident Aly Strappazon commented in the Battle Ground, WA Facebook group. “Immediately prior, we lived in Bellingham, WA where they have it dialed in. We go up several times a year to visit friends and previous neighbors. We park our car when we arrive and pretty much don’t get back in it until we leave.”
Strappazon commented that they can walk or bike from the northeastern portion of Bellingham down and across to the southwestern Fairhaven area. By car, a rough Google Maps estimate shows a driving distance of seven miles. In comparison, Parkway Avenue in Battle Ground stretches 2.5 miles and includes various stretches without pedestrian infrastructure.
“We even took the Inner Urban Trail all the way down to Larrabee State Park over 10 miles one way — the trail extends way past that into the next county,” Strappazon commented. “It is common for us to clock 10-20 miles over the weekend and sometimes we get up to 40+ (like when we went to the state park). Most of the trails run parallel to the roads, only set back by a few yards, but you really don’t realize it because it’s all nature.”
In Battle Ground, a multimodal pathway was built between Main Street and Onsdorff Boulevard along State Route 503. North of Onsdorff Boulevard lacks pedestrian infrastructure along State Route 503, which could connect to the newer neighborhoods still under construction on the north side of Northwest 25th Street and possibly extend to Lewisville Park, a congested area over the summer that is only accessible from State Route 503.
Strappazon explained the additional benefits and experiences associated with the Bellingham area’s pedestrian infrastructure.
“There is NO reason we couldn’t have that in Battle Ground!” Strappazon’s comment states. “I have spoken to City Council several times on this very issue. We need more of us to raise loud voices for non-carcentric infrastructure!”
Another person in the Battle Ground Facebook post commented that Northeast Grace Avenue is a prime example of where new developments have gone in without a safe way to walk to Main Street.
In Ridgefield, the rapid growth has outpaced the main thoroughfares extremely, and road construction shows that the city is building towards better car capacity and multimodal transportation.
“Everything outside of downtown Ridgefield was once just two-lane country roads,” lifelong Ridgefield resident Geni Fontyn commented on the Ridgefield, WA, Facebook group. “Now, with all the new housing comes more traffic, and many of these roads — Carty, Royle, parts of Hillhurst and Pioneer, to name a few — don’t have sidewalks, much less even a shoulder to walk on.”
The city of Ridgefield, like Battle Ground, is actively working on improving the pedestrian infrastructure and even commercial retail developments that are offset from the main areas where Costco, Roseaurs and downtown are.
“You literally take your life into your own hands when you walk along these roads, especially with the increase in distracted driving,” Fontyn commented.
Another commenter stressed the idea of connecting neighborhood trails, comparing the vision to the likes of the Sunriver Resort in Oregon. Another Ridgefield resident commented that they would love to be able to walk or bike to Roseaurs without taking their life in their own hands from the Hillhurst neighborhood.
In Woodland, Joan Fifer commented that they would like to see retirement communities with smaller homes and walking paths for connectability. Diane Williams, of Woodland, commented that there is a large need for walking access along the Old Pacific Highway, as many young people walk almost on the road, which they’ve witnessed.
Back to Battle Ground, Bianca Streif of Venersborg stated the negative impacts an inner-trail system could have.
“The trails that run along the river in Sacramento are a great place to recreate, but even in the 1980s, when I worked there as a park ranger, it was also a very high crime area,” Streif commented. “Attracting drug users, sex offenders and thieves. Johnson Creek Trail in Portland has the same issue. And it impacts those living close to the trail. More connections can come with trade-offs, but the majority just want to walk their dog or ride their bike.”
