ALBANY, OR:
CONNECTING the DOTS
As part of the Sustainable Cities Initiative (SCI) at my university, I worked with three other students and the city of Albany, Oregon, to draft a plan to increase bicycling in Albany. My team's proposal centered around the need to connect schools with neighborhoods and downtown, and we chose to take advantage of existing wide streets and underused pathways. Branding the project 'Connect the Dots', we mapped out bike paths that would have color-coded painted circles and signage demarkating bicycles' right of way and raising awareness of the resource. This was supplemented by both large and small proposed projects, including a bridge to connect the two sides of the city across the railroad and highway, a new park, a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly connection at a major intersection, and the removal of a single chain-link fence to allow students access through a neighborhood. Our project was presented to a number of Albany politicians, including the mayor, and will hopefully be considered by the city council.