Aurora considering new pedestrian plan

Always searching for new green initiatives, whether it be Segways for meter maids or smart cars for parks staff, Aurora has begun developing a four-year plan to make walking and bicycling "more attractive alternative modes of travel."

Aurora's bicycle and pedestrian plan was distributed during Tuesday's committee meeting but will be discussed more in-depth at next week's city council meeting.

The plan, which began in 2004 with residents asking for better connectivity between existing trails, calls for bicycle and walking projects to be incorporated into the city's capital improvement program and to upgrade connections on existing trails between neighborhoods and city attractions.

The first phase of the plan, to be completed in 2010, includes the installation of new citywide signage indicating direction, distance and destination and links to as many as five schools and transit stops.

By 2013, the plan calls for new bikeways and sidewalks for all of the city's educational institutions and transit stops and route signs posted along all paths.

Planning Director Stephane Phifer described the proposed plan as similar to a set of rough engineering specs as aldermen will continue to comment on the plan throughout the week.

"This is specifying that certain improvements need to be made but there's not money based on this plan," Phifer said. "It may open up more federal dollars to us. There are grants available and this (plan) will help us qualify for a lot more of those grants."

City planning officials will present the plan to aldermen during Tuesday's city council meeting at 6 p.m.