Mayor Henry asks stakeholders to serve on advisory committee for additional public input

Fort Wayne, Ind. – Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry invites local trail users and the general public to complete a survey about their experiences on Fort Wayne’s multi-use trails as the City of Fort Wayne kicks off the process of creating the Trails Fort Wayne Plan. The new plan will guide future trail development and maintenance.

“Fort Wayne’s trails have become the crown jewel of our local active transportation network. Year round, they provide countless opportunities for recreation, exercise and new foot and pedal pathways around town,” Mayor Henry said. “This survey is a great way to ensure that residents’ ideas are reflected in this plan. I encourage everyone to complete the survey.”

The survey is available at www.cityoffortwayne.org/trails.  Residents can take the survey now through January 31, 2012.

The trail-focused document will help the local network serve its dual purposes as recreational asset and transportation infrastructure. It will help the City identify priorities for future trail construction and ways to improve the existing trail system.

“Our greenways department has worked closely over the years with Public Works, Parks and Recreation, trail advocacy groups, as well as the Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council, but this plan will help to formalize the process that we use to expand and maintain our trails,” said Dawn Ritchie, city greenways manager. “It will also provide critical input from trail users to ensure we are meeting the public’s needs and desires.”

Working with the nonprofit Fort Wayne Trails Inc., City staff will write the trails plan. When complete, in approximately 12 months, it will complement the already-adopted Bike Fort Wayne and Walk Fort Wayne Plans, which focus on on-street bike infrastructure and sidewalks, respectively. The Mayor will ask the Fort Wayne Plan Commission and City Council to adopt the Trails Fort Wayne Plan into the City’s comprehensive plan.

In addition to the survey, Mayor Henry plans to engage trail users and stakeholders through a community advisory committee.  Mayor Henry invited about 50 people to participate on the advisory group that began meeting in September.  Future public input meetings are also planned.

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