Getting Around

I’m sure that most of you have heard the expression “put yourself in someone else’s shoes”. It has happened to me numerous times where I hadn’t thought of a situation as being a problem until it was pointed out to me. This has helped me to see things from a broader perspective and opened the door to seek more creative and inclusive solutions.
I’d like to draw your attention to the issue of what I call “mobility inclusiveness” in our community. Mobility inclusiveness is when all ways of getting around a community are given equal value and attention. This would include walking, cycling, riding a wheelchair, driving an electric scooter and driving a motorized vehicle. The vast majority of towns and cities in America are designed around the use and needs of motor vehicles. Most other modes of mobility are seen as secondary in importance. And Altona falls into that model.
I’d like to share two scenarios where mobility inclusion is an issue in Altona followed by possible solutions. In the the first scenario you are a senior that lives at Garden on Tenth that wants to get to the mall or the clinic after a snowfall. You don’t drive, your walking is unstable but you make use of an electric scooter. The sidewalk hasn’t been cleared so the only option for you is to drive on the street with your scooter. This is less then ideal and also unsafe.
In a mobility inclusive model, the solution would be to prioritize sidewalk clearing from Garden on Tenth to the mall and clinic so that seniors have equal access to community services.
The second scenario is a mother that would like her school aged children to be able to walk or bike safely to school so that she doesn’t have to drive them. The mother doesn’t feel like roads are safe because of the car traffic.
Here a solution would be to create safe walking and biking corridors that lead to the schools for the periods of arrival and dismissal. This would aleveate traffic congestion around the schools during this time period.
Creating a mobility inclusive community has many benefits. It establishes a more level distribution of resources. People are more active and more likely to interact with their neighbours. It gives everyone a better chance to participate in community life and feel less isolated.

Written by Joel Martin
ACAN Member
Photo by Laura Woelk