Program seeks to add bike lanes, sidewalks to improve safety

Savannah and Zachari Farmer make the mile long walk from their house to the library almost every day and every step of their journey along a busy stretch of Hague Road.

Reporter: "Ever wish there was a sidewalk?
Savannah and Zachari Farmer: "Yes."
Zachari Farmer:  "I was  just talking about that yesterday."

Along with the normal stresses of being middle school students, the two share a unique fear.

"I am worried about cars, running off the road, that could actually happen," said Zachari Farmer, "cars getting too close as we are walking on the road."

Kim Irwin is part of a program called Complete Streets. The program was pitched the City-County Council meeting on June 4. Irwin said the message of Complete Streets is simple: projects need to account for everyone using the road.

"We just see project after project where these accommodations are not made," said Kim Irwin. "The project with the sidewalk and the bike lane may be in the plan, everybody thinks it is a good idea, and yet when the project is completed... they are not constructed. 

"The Complete Streets ordinance makes that process transparent, much more detailed and data driven. So we do not end up with, 'oh, there is no sidewalk.'"

Irwin called the Complete Streets program an investment. She said bike lanes are fairly inexpensive, usually the cost of the paint or the decal. Irwin said sidewalks are more costly, making up 5 percent of the road project at the most.
 
"To the environment, to public health, that return on investment is huge," said Irwin.

Zachari Farmer said that investment is worth it.

"It would be safer for people to walk."