Active transportation in Countryside

The City of Countryside has ushered in the New Year with two significant milestones. On February 8, the city council voted unanimously to adopt an active transportation plan as a blueprint for safe, convenient access by foot, bus or bicycle to key local destinations.

Around this same time, the city was also awarded a Safe Routes to School grant of more than $130,000. The grant will allow Countryside to implement near-term plan recommendations for Ideal School and adjacent Ideal Park. It will be used to complete the sidewalk network and improve the signage on streets surrounding these two key destinations.

Providing safe and comfortable routes to several schools was recognized by the city as an important step to encourage the children in Countryside to use active transportation.

In addition to schools and parks, the Countryside Active Transportation Plan calls for improving non-motorized access to commercial corridors, especially Joliet and LaGrange Roads. Better access to transit stops within the community and in nearby communities are also targeted.

Serving as technical consultants for the plan, Active Trans was guided by a steering committee of local residents and city officials, as well as community survey results. The effort was made possible through the Department of Health and Human Services: Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) grant.

If you're interested, the 100-page plan is available online for perusing.