Visiting Expert Challenges Us To Build Healthy
Communities By Design

Mark Fenton, public health, transportation, and engineering consultant challenged our community to consider opportunities for positive health impacts and implications of negative health impacts -- and implications of negative health impacts -- in all land use and transportation decisions. At the November 17th forum, On the Road (Sidewalk, Bikeway, and Trail) to a Healthier Clark County, Fenton argued our nation suffers from an epidemic of physical inactivity; the result of engineering opportunities for physical activity out of our daily routines. This has left us with skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Fenton stated,

"Communities with more physically active travel will not only be healthier, but the air quality will improve, traffic congestion and associated costs will diminish, streets will be safer, and businesses and housing markets will thrive as a more resilient and local economy develops. Perhaps most important, livability and quality of life will be on the rise as we begin to sew together the community fabric that was torn apart by designing exclusively for the automobile."

The audience of over 100 brainstormed policy and project ideas our community could pursue to make it easier for Clark County residents to be more physically active. Local active transportation advocates will consider these ideas when determining future action items.

 

 

Congratulations to our current award winners for
Takin’ it to the Streets, Sidewalks, Bikeways, and Trails!

Norma Watson, Morgan Vaughn, Sasha Nichelson, Alan Buguslawski, Patricia McConaughy,
Rick Amies, Robin McFarlane, Todd Love, and Sarah Keirns.