Resident organizer credits walkability summit with quick sidewalk fix; announces third annual event

Lilia Gibson Green, founder of Colorado Springs Walk the Walk, told the City Council on Monday that a resident‑led walkability audit and a 2023 Walkability Summit produced a rapid city response and stronger community engagement on sidewalks and trails.

The bottom line: Green said attendees at the 2023 summit walked local routes, documented missing sidewalks and other barriers, and that Colorado Springs Public Works installed a sidewalk within about six weeks after the summit for a route she had highlighted. “On November 2023, public works… did construction on that site and they put in a sidewalk in less than a month and a half,” she said.

Why it matters: Green emphasized health and social benefits from walkability, citing personal experience as a cancer survivor who uses walking to manage health and mental wellness. She argued that walkability promotes exercise, lowers pollution, boosts economic activity and strengthens community ties.

What the project produced: Green said the first summit (September 2023) had 51 attendees; 23 completed surveys; many attendees expressed interest in ongoing engagement and 69.6% elected to join a Colorado Springs Walkability Advisory Committee. She reported high satisfaction rates among participants and said that walk audits documented broken or missing sidewalks near Panorama Park that forced walkers into the street.

Plans and funding: Green described seed grants she received from American Walks (a $500 mini grant and later a larger $10,000 grant of which she received $7,500 plus $500 for $8,000 total) to run the initial summit and follow‑up work. She said the city council’s walkability proclamation will mark the third annual Walkability Day on Sept. 22, 2025.

Upcoming summit: For the third summit she plans to focus on six topics that emerged from prior input: multimodal assets, mixed‑use land, sustainability, safe and desirable streets, lifestyle change, and social interaction. She said presenters will include city staff, Mile High Youth Corps and other partners; she expects about 75 signed participants and plans to distribute a program by the end of the week.

Council response: Council members thanked Green, recounted their participation in walking audits and praised the quick public‑works response to the 2023 audit. Council Member Lineweber said sidewalk condition complaints are frequent in constituent emails; Council Member Gold said his walking audit led to repainting of crosswalks. Council members encouraged expanded outreach and coordination with the city’s Neighborhood Watch and other community groups.

Ending: Green said the summit aims to move from education to problem‑solving and invited council members to attend; she said the advisory committee will continue to work with city departments to prioritize sidewalk repairs and walkability improvements.