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Carbondale commission declines winter walk audits, plans expanded annual audits with training
Summary
The Bike Ped Trails Commission agreed not to conduct winter walk audits because the town lacks enforcement capacity, and approved a plan to carry out annual walk audits of priority corridors with a short volunteer training and a standard reporting format for public works.
Carbondale's Bike Ped Trails Commission on Monday declined to conduct winter walk audits and outlined plans to resume annual walk audits in fair weather, with volunteer training and a standardized reporting form for Public Works.
Commissioners said the town has no enforcement mechanism tied to winter audits and that carrying out audits without follow-up action would be ineffective. "AFC, not gonna do winter walk audits unless there is a corresponding action that will happen as a result of us doing it because otherwise, it's just a waste of time," Nikki said, explaining the commission's stance.
The decision came during an extended discussion of the commission's walk-audit program, which the group adapted from an AARP tool. Commissioners said the revised audit focuses on defects Public Works can act on and on barriers affecting people who use mobility aids. "Kevin essentially telling us, I don't have the staff to go out and walk every single priority corridor," the commission noted, arguing volunteer-collected reports help direct limited crew time.
Commissioners described the audit process: volunteers will inspect defined stretches of sidewalk (priority corridors), document specific addresses and photo evidence, and measure defects using a simple threshold (the commission said they flag sidewalk lips of a half inch or greater). Nikki said she will provide a short 15'20 minute training for volunteers and a packet showing examples of previously submitted issues and the fixes Public Works completed.
The commission reported success from prior audits: Kevin advised that about "85% of the things that were in the walk audit have been completed." Commissioners cited East Side of Eighth Street as a project that rose to the top after audits.
Commissioners and staff also discussed the kinds of problems to document: raised panels from tree roots, missing or cracked panels, lack of curb cuts or tactile markings for visually impaired pedestrians, vegetation encroaching on sidewalks, and disconnected sidewalk segments that force pedestrians to cross and re-enter sidewalks. Nikki urged volunteers to work in teams and to submit concise, photo-backed reports so Public Works can dispatch crews or include items in a longer-term capital plan.
The commission asked that interested members email Nikki to be paired with a segment; she said the group aims to complete audits while weather is good so some items can be repaired quickly. Nikki provided an email contact in the meeting: nikki@bellco.net.
The commission also agreed to make the audit form available and to consider a short presentation or packet at a future meeting so additional commissioners can be trained and volunteer participation scaled up.
