Implementing active transportation can be a 15- or 20-year process. In Cochrane, the first step is a master plan expected to be ready later this year.
Consultant Claire Bashinski says it will arrive at a vision and strategies to encourage Cochranites to move, connect to other parts of town, and have access to them.
“Typically, self-propelled or human-powered forms of transportation,” she outlines, “like walking and cycling, rollerblading is apparently making a massive comeback these days.”
It could likely mean new features on and off the streets. Bashinski says one advantage in Cochrane is its compactness and the linear layout of the streets.
“This isn’t a commitment to build something tomorrow,” she adds. “This is looking to build out and tackle those barriers, as well as providing new opportunities for people to walk, cycle and be active.”
That means, Bashinksi says, changing habits so that your first thought is not to use your car.
This subject is chock full of detail. You can hear it on the audio link below, and start providing input through a spot on the town’s website.