Cedar Rapids Wants To Become More Walkable

Do you think Cedar Rapids' roads are bad? Well, you're right but have you tried walking anywhere lately?

Residents have given the city council their feedback on areas that need more sidewalks, or those in current need of repair.

There are also areas in need of sidewalks that don't yet have them. The council is putting a plan in development to continue making Cedar Rapids more walkable and pedestrian-friendly.

It started with ten areas of need, broken down to a "Top 3" that the council says came from the feedback of over 1,200 residents. Those areas are:

• The First Avenue area, near Coe College
• Downtown
• Collins Road and Council St.

They have ideas on how to fix 439 sidewalk gaps (where only part of the street has a sidewalk), 38 pedestrian crossing projects they'd like to implement, and 14 sidewalks that are too narrow to use.

Residents like Julie Perez on Milburn Lane think residential areas like hers that are sidewalk-free, should take top priority.

She is also not the first, nor likely the last, to see downtown, with its ample walkability, being prioritized for more high-profile work that it doesn't necessarily need and scratch her head.

You can see what the city has in mind for pedestrian projects here.

[Via Gazette, City of Cedar Rapids]