Bristol Borough has received grant funding that will allow it to complete a town-wide Active Transportation Plan.
As part of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health WalkWorks program, Bristol Borough will receive $19,176.47 to look at pedestrian and cycling infrastructure in the and develop a plan to look at new opportunities.
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The plan will be developed to look at pedestrian and cyclist trail linkages and “increase walkability to Bristol Borough’s recreational facilities and local destinations,” Amanda Fuller, the borough’s engineer, told LevittownNow.com.
Aside from Bristol Borough, 10 other Pennsylvania communities, including nearby Morrisville Borough, will receive similar grants.
One of the aspects of the program has been using walking and bicycling to improve the health of residents.
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“Having access to areas for recreation, such as walking and biking is essential in helping to keep Pennsylvanians healthy,” Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Physical activity can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and premature death. Being active also helps prevent weight gain, reduce depression and improve cognitive function in older adults. These communities should be applauded for their efforts to review how they can make physical exercise part of transportation planning in their community.”
Carol L. Reichbaum, director of WalkWorks at the University of Pittsburgh, said planning for active transportation can lead to improved health while addressing congestion, the economy, and local sustainability.
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“While community design has long been the domain of land use and transportation planners, it has become increasingly obvious that our communities will benefit from greater collaboration of public health practitioners, municipal planning entities and other partners to create built environments that better support health,” Reichbaum said.
Sidewalk-lined Bristol Borough is among the most walkable communities in the county with easy access to bus routes, businesses, eateries and bars, SEPTA’s Trenton Regional Rail Line, and connections to Delaware Canal State Park and Bucks County-run Silver Lake Park.
The borough’s 2006 comprehensive plan and 2008 open space plan both included pedestrian and cyclist facilities. Fuller explained that the new Active Transportation Plan will reevaluate and supplement the previous plans.
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WalkWorks funding has been provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health through the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant and the State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program, both from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
