Yankton reviews Active Transportation Plan update, hears residents plead for sidewalks near middle school

YANKTON, S.D. — Yankton City staff on Oct. 28 presented a draft update to the city’s Active Transportation Plan, reviewed a GIS scoring method to prioritize missing sidewalks and identified planned 2025 projects while outlining funding choices, including a possible increase in the Yankton road tax (YRT).

City staff said the Active Transportation Plan, last updated in 2016, aims to increase walking and biking, improve safety and create a connected network. The draft is a working document that will be revised after public and commission input and presented for adoption at a future meeting.

“Not only is it to appreciate the different modes of transportation we have in our community, but more importantly it’s to make sure that everyone makes it to their destination safely,” staff said in opening remarks.

The city described a GIS-based scoring method to prioritize missing sidewalk segments. The method applies 1- and 2-block buffers around community destinations (parks, schools, shopping centers, city properties), awards extra points for segments along highways, arterials or collectors, and adds a point for city-owned property. The presentation said the highest theoretical score is 19; observed scores in the dataset ranged from 0 to 12.

Dave Mingo, community and…