The Kenton Connects study is designed to address bicycle and pedestrian related issues in Kenton County. This section of the research report describes challenges and opportunities discovered throughout the public involvement and research phases of the project in 2017. To accomplish the goals of the study, implementation will need to be enacted on the local level and leadership will continue to be needed to bring these ideas to fruition. These respective subsections outline the most frequently mentioned topics discussed during the survey, public meeting, and advisory committee meeting.
Resources
Bicycle and pedestrian resources in Kenton County range from physical assets such as existing infrastructure like sidewalks and trails to advocacy and education organizations. The following subsections address bicycle and pedestrian resources that exist in Kenton County.
Physical Infrastructure
The infrastructure that exists in Kenton County is a solid foundation for the expansion of the system and to grow bicycling and walking modes of transportation. Resources that were identified through the research and survey phases of this project include multi-use trails, sidewalks, and mountain bike trails. These resources can be found sporadically throughout Kenton County in amenities such as Riverfront Commons, Licking River Greenway, Devou Park, and the Kenton County Park system. These areas, as well as others in Kenton County, were identified by survey respondents as great resources for active transportation. They provide access to sidewalks and other infrastructure that make these forms of transportation more accessible. Many of the ideas and recommendations identified in this study work toward strengthening identified existing bicycle and pedestrian resources and building upon existing assets.
Advocacy and Education
Advocacy organizations promote and encourage successful bicycle and pedestrian plans that will improve these modes of transportation in Kenton County. Organizations that promote and advocate for bicycle and pedestrian transportation include Tri-State Trails, Queen City Bike, and Cincinnati Off Road Alliance. These organizations work toward educating citizens about bicycle and pedestrian issues and seek to advance a vision for these modes of transportation. Advocacy and education by these types of organizations promote the safe and effective use of active transportation, help bring awareness to related issues, and try to bring people together toward a common goal.
Challenges
Numerous bicycling and pedestrian challenges were identified throughout the study. The result of the Kenton Connects survey identified four areas that present challenges to bicycling and walking in Kenton County. The following subsections address the challenges related to each of these four areas.
Safety
Safety was identified in the survey as a major barrier to bicycling and walking. The perception of safety, or the lack thereof, was something that prevented people from using these modes of transportation more often. The feeling or perception that bicycling and walking are not safe is a major challenge toward these becoming better transportation options. The survey results indicated that separation from traffic improves the feeling of safety and enhances the level of comfort. Identifying strategies and policies to improve the safety of bicycling and walking is an important component of this study.
Access
Access to usable and desirable bicycling and walking infrastructure in Kenton County is limited. Comments from the survey stated that community members drive outside of the county to walk or ride a bicycle because the accessibility and usability of their trails and paths is better. These people are willing to travel a greater distance to access infrastructure that meets their needs. Providing better access to places people want to bicycle and walk is a challenge which should be addressed to create a better bicycling and walking environment. This plan has sought to create strategies that will improve access to desirable infrastructure that improves connectivity and encourages their use.
Connectivity
The connectivity of the current bicycle and pedestrian system was identified by the survey as another obstacle to using the current system. In many areas sidewalks only connect within a subdivision or community and do not connect to a larger network or to destination type places. The bicycle lane system in Kenton County is limited and provides little connection to places of interest. The challenge is to begin connecting these systems to create a network which better serves the residents of Kenton County.
Convenience
Convenience refers to how easy, expedient, and friendly it is to use the current bicycle and pedestrian systems in Kenton County. Many people in the survey indicated that they do not bicycle or walk to work or for pleasure because it is not convenient to use these modes of transportation. This inconvenience is the result of the previous challenge areas including the lack of connectivity and access and the perception of safety. Working toward improving the other challenge areas will improve the convenience of bicycling and walking in Kenton County