An Unsolicited Plan for a Mullins Creek Greenway

I wrote an earlier piece on how UA needed to take a page out of UALR's book and create a Mullins Creek Greenway, similar to UALR's Coleman Creek Greenway, but I didn't include many specifics.  So here is my plan for Mullins Creek in greater detail:

Overall Objectives:
1.  Provide the campus community a scenic and safe trail that connects housing areas, athletic facilities, classrooms, and shopping areas.
2.  Improve the habitat and water quality of Mullins Creek.
3.  Provide a viable alternative to driving around campus that is healthier, more scenic, and just as fast.

Stage 1: The Cheap Stuff
1.  Establish a "no-mow" zone around the creek.  This would actually be more of a mow twice a year zone that would immediately help decrease erosion along the creek, improve water quality and provide habitat for wildlife.

2.  To avoid looking like an overgrown drainage ditch, attractive native grasses, shrubs and trees could be planted along the banks for little extra cost.  Inland sea oats, soft rush, blackgum, red bud, sycamore, and dogwoods are just a few examples of attractive plants that would improve aesthetics, water quality, and habitat.  Streambank and wetland plants can typically be purchases for ~$1 a plug.  Tree prices vary depending on size, but can be as cheap as $30 for a 6' tall tree.  Smaller sapplings go for 10 cents when bought in bulk.  If done as part of an official mitigation plan, this project might even pay for itself.

Stage 2:  The Not Cheap, but Not Really That Expensive Stuff
1.  Increase the width of existing trails/sidewalks to at least 12 feet.
2.  Move existing sidewalks that are within 10 feet of the creek (red on the map) farther away.  Placing a path too close to the creek can, and has, led to bank erosion, flooded trails, and expensive repairs.
3.  Pave new sections of trail to connect existing sections each other and dorms, apartments, athletic facilities, classrooms, and shopping areas.

Stage 3:  The Expensive Stuff.
1.  Remove the parking lot at MLK and Razorback Rd.  Replace it with a 3-4 story parking deck located away from the creek that has 1/3 the footprint (shown in red and green below).
2.  Convert the old parking area nearest the creek to a Trail of Tears Park with educational signage.
3.  Build  a pedestrian bridge over MLK.  This street is really busy and waiting to cross it can be a pain.
4.  Perform a coordinated, natural channel design, stream restoration of the creek where it is above ground on campus.  This will save money on maintenance in the long-run and improve water quality and habitat on campus and downstream.

Here is a map of the proposed trail. The majority of this is already in place. Existing sections would just need to be improved and short connections would need to be made.

Rock Island Bridge Opens at Clinton Library

The River Trail just got one step closer to being complete. You can now bike over the Rock Island Bridge at the Clinton Library instead of having to carry your bike up/down steps on the junction bridge or vie with traffic on other downtown bridges.

Next (and last?) step, do something about the crappy section between downtown and Riverdale. You can't really call it a trail if you all you have is bike lanes on busy streets.

UA needs to Copy UALR - Mullins Creek vs. Coleman Creek

Mullins Creek on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville has a lot in common with Coleman Creek which flows through UALR's campus in Little Rock. Both creeks:

1. Flow through campus and were historically treated more as obstacles than amenities.
2. Had buildings built OVER them.
3. Were crossed by the Trail of Tears. (and at what is now the southern end of each campus even!)
4. Face problems associated with rapid urban development of their watersheds. (trash, erosion)
5. Are impacted by Razorback football game tailgating. (War Memorial Park in Little Rock, Razorback Gardens in Fayetteville.)

With all they have in common, their recent history couldn't be more different.

UALR:
1. Formed the Coleman Creek Greenway Committee with experts in landscape architecture, environmental engineering, ecology, GIS, habitat restoration, trails, etc.
2. Came up with plans to improve the creek's habitat and water quality.
3. Developed plans for a wide, paved, bike and pedestrian trail that will eventually run along both sides of the creek and connect the campus to surrounding neighborhoods and city parks.
4. Tore down multiple buildings and ripped up acres of parking to build Trail of Tears Park, which has educational signage and native plant landscaping along the first section of the trail to be completed.
5. Is working to decrease vehicular traffic through campus and boost bike and pedestrian traffic.

UA:
1. Threw some boulders in the creek, which actually sped erosion, and called it a day.
(I don't know if this is completely fair, since I haven't been in Fayetteville for very long. I've read that plans for a restoration are being drawn up but haven't seen any evidence of plans or intent to implement them. UA did remove buildings where Razorback Gardens and the baseball field are, but I think this was done more for sports than the creek.)


Conclusion:
UA needs to form a Mullins Creek Greenway Committee with the full backing of the Chancellor. The goals of this committee need to be to:

1. Boost student access to, and appreciation of, Mullins Creek.
2. Improve water quality in Mullins Creek.
3. Improve habitat and the aesthetics of the creek.
4. Find ways to better link the creek and campus to the surrounding community.


Here are some basic ways some of these goals could be accomplished:

1. Conduct a natural stream channel restoration of the sections of the creek that are still above ground. As part of this, plant the banks with native grasses, shrubs, and trees and limit mowing of a 25' buffer along the creek to once or twice a year.
2. Expand and improve the sidewalks along and near the trail. Take the trail to the southern end of campus and connect it to the Tsa La Gi Trail and Hill Place Apartments.
3. Create a Trail of Tears Park at the southern edge of campus that educates people on the history of the Trail of Tears. Make sure this park is connected to the main trail along the creek.
4. In the long run, seek to remove impervious surfaces on campus. Install green roofs, rain gardens, and bioswales. Store rainwater in cisterns and use that for irrigation on campus.

Lake Wedington Loop #1

Today, my friend Jess and I decided to take advantage of the great weather and go on a bike ride (see map below). Neither of us are avid cyclists, but we like to pretend we are in great shape and can do pretty much anything (yes this attitude has gotten us into some trouble in the past).
After packing swimsuits and a frisbee (neither of which ended up being used), we struck out for Lake Wedington without really doing much research. It turns out the lake is 17 miles west of town and that you if you take the seemingly logical choice of Wedington Dr. to get there, you have some pretty nasty hills in the way. We added an unnecessary hill, by initially deciding to take MLK west and then quickly deciding that road was too nasty and deciding to head north to Wedington Dr.

Wedington Dr. is a large road with little shade for most of the way. In the more developed areas, it does have a sidewalk and in places a nice wide bike path. After about 8 miles, the large relatively flat road begins to curve up and down some hills. A couple of the downhill sections were so great (long and steep) that we decided to find a different way home.

We arrived at the lake around 5:00 having taken a little over 1.5 hrs to get out there. At this point we admitted to ourselves that we were already pretty pooped and probably didn't have the time or energy to swim or throw a frisbee given that sunset is around 7:00 these days. So after exploring the cabins, lodge, swimming area, and campground we headed back towards Fayetteville.

This time, we took a very different route and it ended up being a lot better and also worse in places. The southern section of the loop shown on the map is much flatter, and for most of the way it is more scenic and less busy. All that comes to a nasty, screeching halt when you reach Main St./MLK Blvd. There is a bike lane for a bit in Farmington, and then ironically, around the time you see the "Fayetteville: Bike Friendly City" sign, there is no bike lane and no decent sidewalk. Needless to say, the last five miles on MLK were not fun. If you live in the northern part of Fayetteville, you might change the route a bit and take Double Springs Rd. or Broyles St. north back to Wedington Dr. for the final leg back into town.

Has anyone else done this ride? Any suggestions?
Here is another Lake Wedington Route.

Tyler Bend Trails - Things to do When the Buffalo is Too Low

Yesterday, I found myself in Gilbert with "Very Low" amounts of water on the Buffalo.  Even after raining most the day yesterday, the river is still "Very Low" according the the USGS.  So, rather than figure out a shuttle and drag a kayak down a few miles of gravel, I decided to explore some nearby trails.  The Buffalo River Trail, which I believe is now part of the Ozark Highlands Trail, runs past Gilbert, but I'd been on that part of it a few times already so I drove to nearby Tyler Bend, one of the most popular put-ins on the river, which happens to also be home to several medium-length, nice trails.

After parking at the Visitor Center, I got on the River View Trail and followed it 1.3 mi. up to the Collier Homestead.  Along the way, I took in great views of the river and enjoyed the changing vegetation which varied from river cane and ferns to cacti, large white oaks, and beautiful moss-covered cedars.

From the homestead, I followed the Buffalo River Trail to the Spring Hollow Trail and took that downhill back to the visitor center.

Arkansas Trail Funding News

There is lots going on this week with trail funding in our state:
1.  From the AP (via the DemGaz) the Highway Commission awarded a total of $1.8 million to 31 different trail projects around the state.  Big winners include Arkansas State Parks and Hendrix College.
2.  Also from the AP (via the DemGaz) as part of the aforementioned $1.8 million, the City of Hot Springs got $40,000 to build a bridge that will connect two existing recreational trails. (see map below, if you are from Hot Springs, let me know if I got this right)
3.  Voters in Little Rock will head to the polls Sept. 13 to vote on two separate sales tax increases.  If passed, at roughly $28 million will go to parks and trails in Little Rock.  Given that Little Rock has the lowest sales tax in the state, this is a tax we can handle.
UPDATE: The two sales taxes passed.
Map below:

Tsa La Gi Trail

Update 7/4/14:  The Tsa La Gi (Cherokee in Cherokee I'm told) Trail has been extended and now runs from Razorback Rd. to the Razorback Greenway near MLK and School Ave.  While it isn't the most scenic trail in Northwest Arkansas, it is important since it connects numerous restaurants, large apartment complexes, and businesses to the trail system.  This makes it easier for more people to use the trail not just for recreation, but for transportation.

The Tsa La Gi Trail in its current form is little more than a wide sidewalk for the Hill Place apartment complex.  At a under 0.2 mi. in length, this trail is the shortest mentioned in the Fayetteville Trails Guide brochure.  I think the main reason for its inclusion is to raise awareness of plans for connecting it to the university and Fayetteville High School campuses to the west and the Scull Creek Trail just 0.3 mi. to the east.

View Tsa La Gi Trail in a larger map

Gulley Park Trail

Gulley Park is a large city park in northeast Fayetteville located near the intersection of Township Rd. and Old Wire Rd.  The park has large open mowed areas that are great for picnics, playing with your dog, or tossing a frisbee or ball around.  It also has a creek, sand volleyball court, gazebo, picnic tables, a large playground and ~1.5 mi. of fairly flat asphalt trail.  The dark blue outer loop on the map, including the spur to Azalea Terrace, is 1.5 mi.
There isn't much shade along the trail, but lots of young shade trees have been planted recently and should provide some good shade here in 10 years assuming they don't die from lack of water (which some of them looked close to doing).
The best views of Niokaska Creek are along the light blue trail on the map.  This creek has had some problems with bank erosion in the past, and has benefited from restoration work.  The creek was bone dry when I visited today (early September).
The plan for this trail is to extend it to the north and connect it to the Mud Creek Trail.

Are Trails a Part of Your City's Master Plan?

If you are reading this blog, chances are you're a fan of trails.  If you want your city to build more trails, you better make sure they are a part of the parks, transportation, or planning departments' Master Plans.  Communities often spend a lot of time developing these plans and decisions on funding and spending are typically based on the priorities spelled out in them.

If your municipality has a master plan than focuses entirely on building more baseball fields, then you might want to attend planning meetings and public comment periods in order to get trail planning and creation included.  Since dirt paths are pretty cheap and easy to make and maintain, there shouldn't be much resistance to at least including some nature trails in the plan.  Well-lit, paved trails are much more expensive, but they are still cheaper than roads and can often be funded largely using grants from federal and other sources.

If your town doesn't have an official plan, they should make one!  You should look over the ones included below and encourage them to use the best ones as a model. Many cities around the country have passed Complete Streets ordinances. These call for streets (and transportation dollars) to be used for the benefit of all modes of transportation. This means giving pedestrians, bicyclists, and bus riders the same priority as cars and in practice it often means wider sidewalks, protected bikelanes, lower speed limits, safer intersections, and more trails. Ask your local elected officials if your town has a complete streets ordinance.

Below are links to Master Plans for municipalities around the state.  If you know of one I've missed, send me a link and I'll add it:

Fayetteville:  Parks, Planning
Little Rock: Parks,  Planning
North Little Rock: No Parks, Planning

Bentonville: Parks, Planning
Bryant: Parks, Planning (These links need to be updated.  Here is a Transportation Plan Map with trails.)
Conway:  No Parks, Planning
Ft. Smith:  Parks, Planning
Hot Springs: Parks, Planning
Springdale: Parks, Planning
Eureka Springs: Trails

Why Separate Trails are Better Than Bike Lanes

Updated 6/9/14: Here is an article about a study showing ridership increases when cities build protected bike lanes and click here to learn about Protected Intersections.

American cities, in an attempt to find quick and cheap solutions to the increased demand for safe ways to travel by bike, have largely resorted to segregating bikes from traffic using a thin white strip of paint.  This lets them say they are creating miles and miles of bike lanes and doing the right thing, while not really having to spend much time or money addressing the problem.
The sad reality that is becoming painfully clear is that white lines of paint don't protect bikes from cars.  A recent article in The Economist points out that Americans are 3-5 times more likely to die while biking than their counterparts in much more bike-friendly Western Europe.  The article points out that the main reasons for this are:
1.  White lines of paint tend to be ignored by automobile drivers and unenforced by police.  These same millimeter-thick lines of pigment, apparently fail to keep cars travelling 30-40 mph from slamming into bikes travelling much slower.
2.  Collisions between cars travelling 40 mph and bikes travelling at typical bike speeds typically result in a fatality.
3.  In Europe, cars that mix openly with bikes are limited to speeds under 20 mph.
4.  Most bike routes in Europe are completely separate from roads.  Bikes often have their own network of paved trails and when they overlap roads, large concrete barriers separate bicycle traffic from potentially lethal automobiles.

American cities, like Portland, that have followed the European example have managed to drastically reduce bike fatalities.  Sadly, cities in Arkansas are lagging far behind (as usual) and a tragic price is being paid.  There have been multiple bicyclist deaths in Arkansas that could have been prevented if suitable bike infrastructure had been in place.

It is for these reasons that I advocate for bike/pedestrian networks of trails that are completely separate from roads.  Painted bike lanes on busy roads are a misguided and horrible mistake.  Let's build safe alternative transportation routes that protect all our citizens.

Useful Links:
http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/safer-streets-yes-please?cid=socNews_20140807_29328676
http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/research/dangerous-by-design/dbd2014/fatalities-map/
http://www.economist.com/node/21528302

Coleman Creek Greenway Updates

Having worked on the Coleman Creek Greenway Committee, driven trackhoes and bulldozers, and planted trees for the project, this trail is special to me.  The eventual goal here is to have a trail running from the north end of War Memorial Park down to Fourche Creek, just south of Asher Ave./Col. Glenn Rd.

So far two small parts at the far ends are done while much of the middle section could be done quickly if funds were made available.  In fact, large parts of the middle section are already paved!  In War Memorial, there is a paved trail along the entire length of the creek in the park.  The only problem is that despite being told by well-paid consultants to do so, the city hasn't yet closed the golf course, so non-golfers are discouraged from walking that trail.  (If you didn't already know, I think the golf course should be converted into a joint Little Rock Parks / UALR Botanical Garden.)

Down at UALR, the plan is to eventually close one or both sides of Campus Dr., the road that runs through campus along the creek.  This already paved surface would then become part of the Coleman Creek Greenway.

The first two maps below show the completed sections of the trail.  This top map shows the Trail of Tears Park that forms the southern tip of the trail on UALR campus.  As you might guess from the name, this park has informative signs about the Trail of Tears, which passed by this site.  The park also features a variety of native trees, wildflowers, and grasses.  The area just to the north of the park is also already paved, but is currently serving as a parking lot.

Wilson Park Loop

I don't usually go for runs (or do anything) the day after a 20 mile bike ride, but given that today was the first day of perfect weather in months, I had to get outdoors.  I haven't been to many parks in Fayetteville yet, so I decided to hit up Wilson Park.  To get there, I jogged up the Frisco Trail to Prospect St. and over to the park.    A wide, nearly one-mile long, concrete path loops around the park.  The highlights of the loop for me were the stream crossing on the west side and the Gaudi-inspired, Frank Williams sculpture in the northeast corner.  The park also has facilities for tennis, basketball, baseball, and swimming.

When Bikes Beat Cars

When I lived in Berkeley, it was faster to bike almost anywhere within a 4 mile radius than it was to drive and find parking.  This was due to very progressive transportation policies and road designs that put bikes first and cars second.  But what about in Arkansas, a non-progressive place where cars and trucks rule?

I used to live in the Riverdale area and worked in North Little Rock off Northshore Dr.  I commuted by bike sometimes when the weather was nice and was pleasantly surprised to find that it took me roughly the same amount of time to bike as it did to drive.  How is that possible you might ask?  Well, thanks to the Big Dam Bridge, my bike commute was 5-6 miles, while my driving commute was 9, on a road with lots of traffic lights or 14 miles taking the interstate.  Now, obviously I can't bike 60 or 45 mph or even half of that, but think about what your average speed really is during rush hour.  If I averaged 12 mph by bike, I'd get there in the same amount of time as if I averaged 20 mph on Cantrell which has lots of traffic, numerous lights, and often a 5 minute wait to get on the highway.

This got me wondering if there were other commutes in Arkansas where bikes beat cars as opposed to being 20 minutes slower, but healthier and lots more fun.

If you have a bike commute that is faster than your car commute let me know and I'll put it up here!

Here is the most drastic example I've found:

Crunch Time for Razorback Trail

Bill Bowden, of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, had an interesting article (pay wall) in the paper last week on the future of the Razorback Trail.  Apparently, $10 million of a federal grant goes up in smoke unless plans for the trail are finalized by Dec. 31.
Current plans for the Razorback Trail include connecting existing trails with new sections of trail to form a continuous 36 mile trail from south Fayetteville all the way to north Bentonville.  Completed sections of the trail in Fayetteville and Bentonville already connect to multiple spur or feeder trails.
Given the rush hour traffic in NW Arkansas, I imagine there may be thousands of people who could bike to work using this trail in roughly the same amount of time it takes to drive.  Factor in the benefits of no road rage and not having to spend time at the gym on days you bike to work and this trail starts looking really good for commuters.

Maps of the proposed trail can be viewed at:
http://nwarpc.org/pdf/Transportation/NWA_RR_Greenway.pdf
http://www.bconwa.com/attachments/156_Regional%20Map.pdf

The Case for a Botanical Garden in War Memorial Park

Several years ago, the City of Little Rock paid consultants a good amount of money to make recommendations for War Memorial Park, an underused city park in a great, central location.  After lots of public meetings, the consultants came out with their recommendations.  One of the main recommendations was that the golf course should be closed and converted to non-designated use open space, the idea being that many more people would make use of that area for picnics, walks, bike rides, and tossing frisbees and footballs, than the small number of people who currently play golf there.

One recommendation I made at those public meetings and would like to expand on here is that Little Rock should build a Botanical Garden in War Memorial Park.  Here are some reasons why I think this would be a good idea:

1.  An open botanical garden would count as non-designated use open-space, which consultants said would get the most use by area residents.  Add to that that golf is in a long decline and War Memorial typically loses more money than the other public golf courses in Little Rock.

2.  At 50+ acres, the western part of War Memorial Park is comparable in size to botanical gardens around the country. 

3.  Fayetteville has a botanical garden and Little Rock doesn't.

4.  A botanical garden in War Memorial would have a natural connection to the nearby zoo.  People interested in animals are often also interested in plants.

5.  An open botanical garden would be relatively affordable to build.  Very little trailwork would be needed, as there are already paved asphalt trails there thanks to the golf course.

6.  UALR should have a botanical garden and greenhouses for educational and research purposes.  War Memorial Park is close to the University and will eventually be connected to it by the Coleman Creek Greenway.  Having a partner in funding the botanical garden would make it even more affordable for the city.
7.  A botanical garden in that location would give people visiting nearby hospitals a scenic, peaceful place to relax.
8.  With a creek, pond and drier, rockier areas uphill from those water features, the park could easily host a wide range of plant species.  There are already lots of native plant species present, and this diversity should increase with the trail improvements currently underway along Coleman Creek.
9.  It would be awesome to see 200' Dawn Redwoods, Incense Cedars, and other exotic (but non-invasive) tree species towering over the park.  These would make interesting landmarks visible from the Interstate.

View Little Rock Botanical Gardens in a larger map

First Impression: Fayetteville is Hilly, but has Nice Trails.

Today I went on my first long bike ride in Fayetteville since moving here for school.  From my daily commute, I already knew that Fayetteville was a pretty hilly place, but today I finally got to explore the main trail in town that all the other little trails want to be like or at least connect to.  The split personality Frisco/Scull Creek/Mud Creek Trail(s) run from southern Fayetteville up to southern Springdale.  My route is shown on the map.  While the ride took me through some scenic and not-so-scenic areas, the coolest part may have been biking through a long, dark, tunnel under the interstate.

Fourche Bottoms Park - Time to Make it Happen

Fourche Bottoms Park is an enormous city park that no one in the city knows about.  A major reason no one knows about it, is that no work has been done there.  No roads, trails, boardwalks, or bathrooms have been built.  Nothing has been done, even though way back in the early 1980's the Corps of Engineers authorized a project to preserve 1,750 acres of the bottoms and build nature appreciation features there.  Much of the Fourche Bottoms and nearby Fourche Creek floodplain are publicly owned.  The BFI landfill is now closed and will be transferred to the city once capping is complete.
In fact, we have a massive 4,000 acre area of contiguous public land that includes Brodie Creek Park, Boyle Park, the Coleman Creek Greenway, Hindman Park, Fourche Bottoms, the State Fairgrounds, Interstate Park, and the Audubon Center that could all be connected with trails if we could just get the Fourche Bottoms trails done.
This trail system could also connect to the planned Rose Creek Trail and the Swaggerty Creek Trail at Crump and Interstate Parks.

If the thought of this massive area of public land being connected with paved trails and boardwalks excites you, you are in luck!  There are already several groups planning and working to make this a reality.
Visit http://fourchecreek.org/, http://www.villagecommonslr.com, US ACE Summary, or http://www.facebook.com/southendlr for more information.  Or ask me on here.

Fourche Bottoms Park and Proposed Trails.
Grey Lines - Proposed Trails
Red Lines - Existing Unpaved Trails
Black Lines - Existing Paved Trails.

Here is a Google Map of the same area since I realize I didn't really label any roads on the map above:

View Larger Map

Building Bridges - Connecting Communities, Trails, and Parks

This year has been a big one for bridge building in Little Rock. The Big Dam bridge got a baby brother this summer when the Little Maumelle bridge was completed.  This attractive and already heavily used bridge connects an extension of the River Trail to Two Rivers Park.  For most Little Rockians, this makes Two Rivers Park much more accessible, as people living in Riverdale, The Heights, and Hillcrest can now bike to Two Rivers in less time than it would take them to drive.

Down the river on the other side of town, the Junction Bridge is expecting a sibling as well.  The Rock Island bridge is getting a face-lift and will soon play host to bikers and pedestrians travelling between Little Rock and North Little Rock or making the River Trail loop.  Unlike the Junction Bridge, this bridge has a continuous ramp, so bikers will no longer have to dismount and take lots of stairs or an elevator to get across the river.

These bridges and the trails they connect, will have (and are already having) a major positive impact on the quality of life and health of the citizens of Little Rock and North Little Rock.

Where should the next bridge be built?  Somewhere over Fourche Creek?  Between the Big Dam Bridge and the Junction Bridge?  Or would that money be better spent helping pave some of the many proposed trails out there?

Trails in Little Rock - Going Beyond Recreation

Little Rock has spent a lot of money on trails and will hopefully and likely continue to do so for years to come. So far, most of these trails are short and disconnected, making the suitable only for recreation and not for commuting. One major exception to this is the River Trail. Lots of people use it for recreation, but a sizable number of people also use it to get to work without hopping in a car. Given the health benefits of walking and biking, and the negative impacts of driving (traffic, air pollution, road rage, greenhouse gas emissions...) wouldn't it be great if our community expanded other trails and connected them to the River Trail in order to make it easier for more people from more locations in the city to get places safely by bike or foot?

Some neighborhoods are already working to make this happen. The Stift Station/Capitol View neighborhood has plans for a paved trail along Rose Creek that would connect the neighborhood to the River Trail, giving residents a scenic and safe way to get downtown while avoiding automobiles.

UALR and Little Rock Parks are working on a trail along Coleman Creek that would connect residential, commercial, and park areas to the University in Midtown.

Rock Creek, which flows from Chenal Valley essentially to UALR, already has multiple sections of paved trail along its banks. If these sections were connected, people in West Little Rock would be able to bike between their homes and nearby shopping areas or even all the way to Midtown without having to share busy streets with speeding cars.

The map below shows what these connections might look like. If you like any of these ideas be sure to share them with your friends and elected officials.