As part of an effort to develop travel routes for bicyclists and pedestrians, and improve the safety of those already in place, the city of Spokane Valley has awarded an about $50,000 contract to the Portland, Ore., office of DKS & Associates, an Oakland, Calif.-based transportation planning and engineering firm.

Last year, the city began coordinating what it's calling the Bike and Pedestrian Master Program, says city project manager Mike Basinger. He says consultants from DKS will work with city staff over the next several months to determine the feasibility of future biking and walking routes, as well where existing facilities could be enhanced.

"The idea is that we're really looking for a safety assessment of all the community routes," Basinger says.

The Bike and Pedestrian Master Program will guide the city in planning, developing, and managing both current and future biking and walking routes, and ultimately will be adopted into Spokane Valley's Comprehensive Plan, he says.

He says the city expects the route safety assessment provided by DKS to be completed sometime in April, and that a finalized bike and pedestrian plan is expected to go to the Spokane Valley City Council in August for approval.

Implementation of the plan will take place over time, as funding for projects becomes available and as the city plans other street improvement work, Basinger says, adding that, "Right now, the important part is identifying the routes the community would like to see."

The city has received about $138,500 for the program from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, funded with federal stimulus money, and also is matching about $96,000 in staff time for the project, he says.

Last summer, the city held two community workshops for residents to express their concerns on walking and biking routes and what future improvements they'd like to see, Basinger says. A survey also was conducted by city staff for additional community input.

The two main requests from community members who attended those workshops was the addition of more north-south biking and walking routes, and more access for pedestrians and cyclists to commercial locations on east Sprague Avenue, he says.

"We have some demographics that put us in a situation where people need alternative modes of transportation, such as walking and biking, to get to services," Basinger says.

He adds that city staff members already have done a large amount of preliminary inventory of current alternative transportation routes that will be provided to DKS.

"We want the consultants to give their professional opinion so when it's time to implement the facilities, we'll be assured that it's the appropriate thing to do in terms of safety," he says.

Basinger says DKS is only providing an evaluation of bike routes in Spokane Valley, and that the city plans to use other methods to evaluate pedestrian routes.

School districts in Spokane Valley and the Spokane Regional Health District will collaborate with city planners in determining the most feasible routes for pedestrian travel, he says.

Teachers and parents of students in Spokane Valley's school districts are helping by participating in "walking audits" of some of the routes commonly used by students who walk to school, he says.

He says those audits will provide information to the city's planning staff on where there are hazards to students who commute on foot.

"If there are things the city can do to make a safer route, we want to do that," he says, adding that if it's unable to secure funding for some of the improvements to student routes, a federal program, called Safe Routes for School, will pay for the completion of sidewalks or other safety enhancements.

Basinger says the Spokane Regional Health District is collaborating with the city in providing alternative modes of travel to help community members live a healthier lifestyle.

"It's important for them to work with the jurisdictions when they're putting together plans for alternative modes of transportation that allow people of all ages to walk or bike to places," he says.