The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Active transportation rolls on
Planning continues as city considers streets, crossings for safety
Fun activities and future street projects were topics in an April 9 meeting of the Lorain Connected active transportation committee.
The group has continuing plans to improve walking, cycling and people-powered transit across the city.
Lorain County Public Health and the city of Lorain lead the planning, with representatives from Lorain City Schools, Lorain County Community Action Agency, Lorain County Metro Parks and other organizations.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has put on hold some of the committee’s work, said Sara Tillie, program manager for the health promotion and chronic disease prevention division of Lorain County Public Health.
Tillie suggested sharing ideas and creating activity goals for local families in 2021.
“This year, I feel like we need more fun.” — Sara Tillie, program manager for the health promotion and chronic disease prevention division of Lorain County Public Health
In coming weeks, new bike lanes on East 31st Street in South Lorain will get green highlights via temporary paint.
So the committee members discussed finding new ways to engage Lorain students and adults as pandemic conditions improve.
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, also known as NOACA, will hold a Gohio Commute challenge in May, with details expected at the end of April, said Kate Moening, planner for the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.
Gohio Commute is a collaboration among planning agencies to promote options for people getting to work.
After a year of health precautions against COVID-19, the members agreed the committee should encourage fun activities to promote active transportation.
Examples could include a road rally or poker runstyle event in which riders collect cards at stops at various parks.
Lorain County Public Health promotes policy and environmental changes, Tillie said.
“This year, I feel like we need more fun,” she said.
Something lighthearted could highlight road, sidewalk and trail changes that happened when people were in quarantine, Tillie said.
The challenge comes from avoiding having people gather in large groups, to avoid potential spread of COVID-19, said Veronica Newsome, civil engineer in Lorain’s Engineering Department.
Newsome suggested a possible social media photo contest when cyclists or walkers visit Lorain parks.
Infrastructure
• The city of Lorain has applied for a Safe Routes to School grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation to improve pedestrian conditions around Lorain City Schools’ Larkmoor Elementary and Longfellow Middle schools.
That application is pending, Tillie said.
• The committee supports possible use of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant money for transit changes on Lorain’s west side.
The goal is to improve sidewalks so children can walk to school bus stops and friends’ houses, Tillie said.
That section of the city generally has the newest neighborhoods in Lorain, with much of that area in Amherst Schools, not Lorain City Schools.
So, it has less focus on the Lorain Connected work to improve equity for poor or underserved parts of the city.
But it still is important for improving connections in Lorain, Tillie said.
Ward 8 Councilman Joshua Thornsberry, who represents the west side, has posted a westside neighborhood survey for residents to share information online.
It is accessible via his City Council page on Facebook.
• In coming weeks, new bike lanes on East 31st Street in South Lorain will get green highlights via temporary paint.
The goal is to raise awareness of the lanes for residents and drivers; there will be some youth engagement through the 231 Go! Program, a youth health collaborative that works with Lorain County agencies. • The city of Lorain is expecting more than $30 million through the federal American Rescue Plan economic stimulus, said Drew Crawford, planning and zoning administrator for the city of Lorain.
The city has a current survey asking residents for ideas on investing in parks and recreation.
The survey is available online.
Residents also may return paper copies to the city Utilities Department, 1106 First St.
• The city of Lorain Engineering Department is planning intersection improvements at three intersections.
Those are the crossroads of Ohio Route 611, which also is West 21st Street, and Ohio Route 58; and also state Route 611 intersections with Oberlin Avenue and Washington Avenue, Newsome said.
City planners hope to improve those areas for drivers and pedestrians, she said.
The city may issue a request for proposals to design plans, as early as next week, Newsome said.