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New Arlington Heights signs to promote walking, not driving

How do you measure the distance between Cronin and Harmony parks in Arlington Heights?

They're a third of a mile apart and probably a five-minute walk.

But that's also far enough to burn a couple of potato chips' worth of calories.

Village leaders are planning to spell out those healthy tidbits on new wayfinding signs that will be installed throughout town next March as part of a wellness initiative that promotes the walkability of Arlington Heights neighborhoods and the downtown.

"No one really grasps, 'How much is that bag of chips? How much is that doughnut?'" said Trustee Tom Glasgow, who is spearheading the Walk Arlington initiative. "We want to emphasize foot traffic and people walking, as opposed to getting in a car and driving six blocks, then getting a space in the parking garage and burning extra fossil fuels.

"For the overall health of the community, it just works out so much better."

The village plans to spend up to $5,000 on the signs, which will be produced in-house by the public works department. Though the number of signs to be made and where exactly they will be placed is still to be determined, officials say the signs will be scattered throughout the community.

For instance, a sign outside a local school would tell you how far it is to the closest neighborhood park.

Already, new Walk Arlington business directory maps have been placed in eight large kiosks downtown, including at Harmony Park, the train station, North School Park and village parking garages. The maps show locations of businesses, restaurants and other key landmarks, suggested walking routes, and how long it will take to get from location to location.

The suggested routes were developed with assistance from the village's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission.

Glasgow suggested installing signs in Arlington Heights after seeing similar ones on a nature trail. He's met over the last couple of months with representatives of the park district, school districts, chamber of commerce and Northwest Community Hospital, who plan to help promote the initiative because it ties in with their wellness programs, Glasgow said.

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  A new business directory map at a kiosk near the Arlington Heights train station emphasizes the ease of walking throughout the downtown. New signs promoting walking will be installed throughout town in March. Christopher Placek/cplacek@dailyherald.com
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