A walkable city is more than just having sidewalks. The idea of making Plain City walkable has a lot of moving parts to it(more than just the pedestrians themselves). It starts with the simple ability to get from Point A to Point B, but doesn’t stop there.

Plain City is working on creating a walkable community. They have plans for more miles of sidewalk to connect areas that aren’t currently walkable. There are plans for some crosswalks. These are good starts, but the walkable experience is about a lot more than that.

To have a good, walkable experience, you need to make sure that we achieve the following:

• Connectivity: Getting from Point A to Point B with ease.
• Safety: Pedestrians need to be able to walk without fear of their personal safety. Are they safe from traffic? Is the path well lit? Is crime an issue?
• Enjoyable: Is the scenery nice? Are you splashed by passing cars? Choking on exhaust?
• Destinations: Is there someplace worth walking to?

  Having a walkable community is about experience. These are, to me, the four key experiences people are looking for when they go on a walk. Is Plain City offering these? Not in their fullness. We have had too many new developments that have sidewalks and parks, but that is not the fullness of walkability.

  In my own neighborhood, I can walk for over two miles. There is a park going into the new development behind me. I can get to some good pizza at Jan & Tony’s or get car parts(nice when you are forced to walk). I cannot, however, safely cross 42 to get to Der Dutchmann. It is not easy to walk on my side of 42 to get to Dollar General or McDonalds.

  The Village’s Development Design Standards seem to take this into account, though I haven’t seen a lot of new small business frontage going in so far. Looking at the in varying stages of approval and development, there is not a lot of actual mixed use, just a lot of housing. This means everyone will have to drive elsewhere to do things, which means traffic, congestion, and probably bored kids.

  We have time to get this right, but we have to get to work. Walkable is a component of a strong town. Let’s make Plain City a strong town!