Covington reviews final pedestrian and bicycle (nonmotorized) plan; staff to return with climate element next year

Covington City Council received a presentation on July 22 of the final Covington pedestrian and bicycle system plan, also described in the meeting as the city's nonmotorized or multimodal plan, which maps short-, mid- and long-range walking and bicycling projects, funding approaches and next steps for adoption.

The plan matters because it helps the city meet regional and state multimodal planning expectations and will guide future capital decisions, staff said. "We received a $410,000 grant from Commerce to do our climate action work, and we took about $170,000 of that and put it towards this plan," Selena, a city staff presenter, told council members during the study session.

The plan identifies gaps in sidewalks, bike lanes, multiuse trails and pedestrian-level street lighting; prioritizes projects by short (1'06 years), mid (6'015 years) and long range timeframes; and overlays data from a citywide public engagement map. Short-range projects concentrate on higher-density corridors and routes serving schools and critical services. Mid-range items…