The Township of Red Rock will hire a third-party consultant to conduct an assessment of the pedestrian and non-motorized vehicle infrastructure within the community. Once complete, the consultant will use the assessment findings to make recommendations on proposed improvements to existing infrastructure and opportunities for the construction of additional single and multi-use paths, bike lanes, and improve lighting and wayfinding. This will meet the needs of residents and visitors while taking into consideration population demographics, user groups, community events, and future developments.
This project is being undertaken to assess current infrastructure and identify the needs of the community in preparation for a capital project application to improve and encourage active transportation among residents and visitors. Several areas within the community have aging sidewalks in non-suitable conditions for use by those with accessibility needs, or young kids riding bikes or rollerblading, resulting in residents not using those sidewalks and using the street instead. With an increase in the number of seniors and children over recent years, it is important to ensure residents and visitors feel safe walking throughout the community with even surfaces that are free from obstacles, well lit, and a safe distance from motorized vehicles. This planning and design project will identify priority areas where pathways need to be established, improved or replaced, thereby increasing access to safe active transportation pathways while building awareness of and encouraging non-motorized modes of transportation within the community.
Expected outcomes and results for this project include: an inventory and assessment of existing non-motorized pathways and infrastructure with location and quality; community consultation to gather direct feedback from the community for what they feel can be improved and expanded; recommendations for existing infrastructure and opportunities for expansion of multiuse, pedestrian and bike paths; an action plan for building awareness of the benefits of active transportation and connecting it to the design and recommendations provided through this project, and; a clear action plan and design to improve active transportation infrastructure in the community that can then be implemented through subsequent engineering and capital projects. The entire community, including members of the vulnerable population, will benefit from this planning and design project. Various sectors of the community will be able to provide input regarding their specific needs and what may be preventing them from considering active transportation as a way of moving throughout the community. Engaging residents during the planning stages helps to increase the personal investment in a community and creates a sense of pride while holding the administration accountable.
Once implemented, these sectors of the population will benefit in several ways. Those using assistive mobility devices will benefit from even surfaces and pathways that are wide enough to accommodate these devices and connect them to key parts of the community, creating safe connections throughout the entire townsite. Children and those with children will benefit from safe pathways suitable for strollers, wagons, children on rollerblades or bicycles by connecting them to local parks, schools, and businesses. Improved pathways connecting key areas of the community, such as going from the waterfront park, to the marina, the recreation centre, and to our downtown core, will benefit our local business owners by encouraging visitors at the waterfront to visit the downtown and other sections of the community. The general population will benefit from this project with improved infrastructure, especially along known areas used by walkers, runners, and cyclists to encourage more people to adopt a more active lifestyle and consider active transportation.