It’s been one year since the Emporia City Commission created the Multi-Use Path Planning committee, and the group is moving along with its plans for the city.
Bill Borst, chairman, said the purpose of the committee is to plan recreational trails for the city.
“Our mission statement says it’s so that anybody, whether it’s a child or an adult, can get to school or work or shopping or to a recreation facility and can have a place to walk or jog or bicycle that’s off-street,” Borst said.
The committee is working in conjunction with the Safe Routes to School program, which is funded with transportation enhancement money through the federal and state departments of transportation.
“The idea is to encourage children to do more walking and bicycling,” Borst said. “The Safe Routes program is a big concern now — how to get kids to and from school safely, so parents don’t have to worry about them getting injured or anything.”
Borst said the committee’s mission is important because it’s difficult to build new paths and trails in the city, where streets and sidewalks and alleys are already in place. One function of the committee is to identify sidewalks that could be identified as safe routes.
“In some cases these can be reconditioned so you could ride a bicycle or a skateboard, and that could be part of the trail system.
Borst said the committee recently received a letter from the state department of transportation asking about projects that are ready to go. Keith Beatty, former Emporia city engineer, has a grant proposal worked up for a trail that will run through the All Veterans Memorial park up through Peter Pan Park and off to the west.
“We had a meeting just this morning,” Borst said last week, “and Keith brought that plan and the letter from the department of transportation. That’s a recommendation we’re hoping to see fulfilled.”
In the meantime, Borst said the group is working on trails through the parks and around the edges of town.
“The city’s comprehensive plan does have trails marked out on the plan maps,” he said. “Some of us have actually gone to the rivers and followed the fishermen’s trails and are thinking about how those can be utilized.”
Borst said he also has been working with Emporia High School cross country coach Mark Stanbrough on a plan for the cross country trail at Dryer Park.
“We are hoping that can be developed into a trail that the cross country teams can use that would also serve as a trail for walking and bicycling and for children and people who live in that neighborhood,” Borst said.
In the future, Borst hopes the group can look to see what’s possible on the east side of town, and the hope is eventually to connect trails and paths all the way around Emporia.
“We want to do that, plus whatever we can do inside the city using sidewalks and other means,” he said.
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justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
Zimmerman says he has to cut back on spending because of the economy and loss of taxes, BUT the city will spend money on a trail. Yes, Borst, its all for the children, you throw the children freely because you know that people will fall for the children word,
Has anyone realized that summer will be here before long? The city has sirens that don't work and tornado's do seem to show up around Emporia. GET THEM FIXED Zimmerman, and Smith, its your job also to protect the people of Emporia.
Yes I know, as someone will tell me that the citizens of Emporia are able to know that a storm or a tornado is heading towards Emporia, well not everyone will know until its to late. but yet a trail is more important. Many offices and other businesses rely on the sirens to sound when a tornado is coming.
When the economy is better, maybe then you can build your little trails for THE CHILDREN, but until then the city commission needs to think about more important issues.
An finally, KEEP your little trail OUT of the All Veterans Memorial, that is no place for that, the memorial is hollowed ground and should be kept that way.
February 24, 2009 at 7:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
Wow, rough day right? Seems like Zimmerman and Smith brought the problem of siren operation before the commission right? If you wanna be mad, be mad a the people who let the system get in such a mess. Don't kill the messengers. That kind of sludge does nothing to fix anything.
February 24, 2009 at 7:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
I believe its a little late to blame those who got the problem in such a mess. sounds like a democrat comment you made, oh sorry. you need to stop looking in the rearview mirror and look through the windshield, its a bigger picture then the little one your looking through
I was just telling it the way it is, you can call my comments sludge if you want, as you will probably have a lot of people agree with you. that's fine, I'm not mad, just concerned for the safety of the citizens of Emporia, and myself, if you think that is sludge ,then get on your damn tricycle and ride, I'm am pointing out just the facts, to bad you cant see past your nose.
February 24, 2009 at 7:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
I agree that a trail should be a lower priority than the sirens. The city had been told for years that the sirens were old and outdated. I have to give Smith credit for trying to force the issue and get them replaced. But I also know from my daycare provider that the school has cut back on bus routes. Little kids are expected to walk from Riverside School across the busy downtown area to get home. I'm not sure a trail is the answer but we do need to make sure our kids have a safe route home. I would be interested to see the cost comparision between building these "trails" and putting in place more bus stops for school kids. And keep in mind, the weather is not always nice during the school year and the kids may have to walk quite a ways if their parents can't get off work to go pick them up.
February 24, 2009 at 1:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Hillbilly (anonymous) says...
madpoet, I agree with you on a lot of your comments, about the safety of the school kids, in some areas. BUT, I went back and read the article again, and I think Borst has more on his mind than helping the kids, Around the river and the building of trails on the outside of Emporia doesn't help the kids get to and back from school, Yes the city has more important places right now for what little money they have and building trails for borst to ride his bicycle should be sit aside for a long time, For borst to use all of the reasons that he has just to get the bike riders a trail is sorry at best
February 24, 2009 at 5:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
It boils down to priorities. Seems like folks have to make their views known in a constructive manner to their elected officials. It is my understanding that the commission is scheduled to be looking at funding priorities for 2009 in light of the sales tax collection date being pushed back. Seems like a good time to let people know of your concerns. I'll also stand by my position that construction, non-insulting dialogue goes a long farther than name calling and sophomoric name-calling.
February 24, 2009 at 5:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
It boils down to priorities. Seems like folks have to make their views known in a constructive manner to their elected officials. It is my understanding that the commission is scheduled to be looking at funding priorities for 2009 in light of the sales tax collection date being pushed back. Seems like a good time to let people know of your concerns. I'll also stand by my position that constructive, non-insulting dialogue goes a long farther than sophomoric name-calling.
February 24, 2009 at 6:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
b3bill (anonymous) says...
Of course the sirens need fixed. However, they are not the only means available for the public to be warned of severe storms. Relying on the sirens for warning when inside is not recommended.
I wish the Multi-Use Path planning committee much success. Emporia will benefit greatly by having a good network of biking/walking paths. Put the trails there, they will be used a lot by people of all ages.
February 24, 2009 at 10:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
prmarko (anonymous) says...
Is there an Emergency Siren Repair Committee? If not, forming one to solve this problem would seem a more constructive course than heaping scorn and vitrol on members of unrelated Committees. Maybe those with the strongest opions on this issue could step forward to be part of the solution.
Oh, and as a veteran myself, I would LOVE to ride my bike to visit the All-Veterans Memorial! A trail passing along the memorial park linking downtown with Soden's would encourage more visitors to pay their respects.
February 25, 2009 at 3:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
justaflushaway posted, "Zimmerman says he has to cut back on spending because of the economy and loss of taxes, BUT the city will spend money on a trail."
From the article, "The committee is working in conjunction with the Safe Routes to School program, which is funded with transportation enhancement money through the federal and state departments of transportation. "
Sounds to me like the city isn't funding this - Federal and state grants are. I'm fairly certain that grant monies for Safe Routes To School can't be used to fix the sirens.
February 26, 2009 at 6:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Good suggestion, prmarko. I'll just bet there's a grant out there somewhere for repairing things like sirens. After all, it does relate to civil defense.
The last time I mentioned the word "grant" however, someone lashed out at me about grants. They do work, and sometime they are for one use and sometime they are recurring.
February 26, 2009 at 6:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
February 26, 2009 at 9:34 a.m. ( permalink )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
Ok, Gazette, Hows this
some OLD PEOPLE mistake a disagreement about a subject as "lashing out"
Create, I only said you were wrong when you said
February 17, 2009 at 7:44 a.m.
"Grant funds don't simply dry up once they are granted; they are offered again and again, year after year."
I told you that Some Grants are for one time use, which you said was incorrect and accused me of "lashing out" for disagreeing
NOW.
on this fourm you say
"They do work, and sometime they are for (((one use )))and sometime they are recurring."
make up your mind!
February 27, 2009 at 6:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )