EASTON, Pa. — In an effort to improve the walkability of the Lehigh Valley, Easton will hold its first Community Walk Day, welcoming the public to provide input about busy and troublesome spots for pedestrians.
- Age-Friendly Lehigh Valley's first Community Walk Day is set for Wednesday, June 28, in Easton
- Community Walk Days will bring residents together to identify troublesome areas for pedestrians in their community
- Those who wish to participate can join Wednesday's Community Walk Day, or complete a survey to contribute to the cause
Starting at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday, June 28, at the Forks of the Delaware in the city, the walk will welcome residents to hit the pavement and evaluate their community to improve pedestrian, bicycle and Americans with disabilities accessibility in the city.
The walk is an initiative of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, the AARP and the D&L Trail.
"This will allow you to have a direct part in how our community, our built environment, is impacted, to point out where things could be made better, to look at those dangerous intersections and say, ‘Here's what needs to happen.'"Carmen Bell, director of healthy aging for the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
Carmen Bell, director of healthy aging for the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, said those organizations originally assembled to identify 50 locations throughout Lehigh and Northampton counties that had the highest rates of pedestrian and motorist fatalities and serious injuries.
“We saw this as a way to look at our community and say, ‘Can we make improvements that will make walking more accessible?'" Bell said. "So it's about making them safer."
Everyone should weigh in
Bell said the community walks are a great opportunity for people to get outside and enjoy the benefits of walking while contributing valuable information to the public, which could lead to significant improvements.
“It's relatively inexpensive," Bell said. "You just need clothes and shoes — essentially, things that you already have.
"And this will allow you to have a direct part in how our community, our built environment, is impacted, to point out where things could be made better, to look at those dangerous intersections and say, ‘Here's what needs to happen.'"
Bell said participants can also identify other areas in the city that appear problematic.
According to an AARP report regarding livable communities, eight in 10 people over the age of 50 want streets and sidewalks that are safe and accessible.
At the same time, people age 65 and over are 50% more likely to be struck by a vehicle and killed while walking, according to the report.
Bell said accessibility issues go beyond the elderly, and include those with disabilities, families with young children — especially those in strollers — and more.
That means everyone should weigh in on the issue to ensure safety for the community as a whole.
“Along the way, what we'll get is a community that is actively engaged in building its own community, and their vision of it will get people out walking and engaging with nature, which is helpful for mental health benefits and mindfulness,” Bell said.
Everyone should weigh in
Those interested in getting out around Easton on Wednesday morning can get their worksheets on the spot, or print them out ahead of time on the Age-Friendly Lehigh Valley website.
Participants also will get T-shirts, water bottles — “We want them to stay hydrated,” Bell said — and lanyards.
If you can’t make it to Wednesday’s walk and still want to participate, you can tackle the listed spots on your own time, or by filling out a street survey detailing issues in your area.
“We're very much interested in the continuous improvement in everything that we do, whether it's a walk around or a town hall or community forum. We’re always interested in hearing what our community and others have to say about what was done and how they think it can be done better.”Carmen Bell, director of healthy aging for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Easton Community Walk Day will be the first of three major communal efforts, with similar programs to follow in Allentown and Bethlehem in the next two months.
Bell said she hopes a good crowd comes out for Wednesday’s event to enjoy the outdoors while making a difference, and hopefully providing a diverse and inclusive look at ways to actively improve their own communities.
“We're very much interested in the continuous improvement in everything that we do, whether it's a walk around or a town hall or community forum," Bell said.
"We’re always interested in hearing what our community and others have to say about what was done and how they think it can be done better.”
For information on other upcoming Community Walk Days and to find printable forms for the walks, visit the LV Walk Audit page on the Age-Friendly Lehigh Valley website.
