Sustainable- Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment: sustainable agriculture.

Non-motorized transportation will undoubtedly be an integral part of America's future.  Of course, cars are, and will be nessesary, but many of the trips we take in cars could be easily acomplished on a bike, or by walking.  That becomes even more true when the traveller has a safe, comfortable route to bike or walk.

Unfortunatly, Monroe County's infrastructure and landuse patterns are products of the post WWII era, and are completly based on car travel.  That means we have main roads with high speed limits, and few shoulders or side walks suitable for biking and walking.  Fortunatly East Stroudsburg is old enough to have sidewalks, but its also old enough to have relativly narrow streets that make bicycling difficult in traffic.

Looking to the future, ECA is advocating and planning for a new transportation infrastructure that will allow travellers to have a choice in how they get from point A to point B.

In conjunction with East Stroudsburg University's sustainability group, and adjacent municipalities including Stroudsburg, Smithfield Twp., and Delaware Water Gap, we intend to plan an alternate transportation network of trails, safe streets, and bike lanes that will allow commuters, schools kids, and tourists alike to stay mobile without the cost and environmental effects of cars.  And, to make this new infrastructure more usable, it will be tied into Monroe County Transit's bus system, as well as forthcomming rail service. (both of which allow bikes on their vehicles)

Imagine...

Imagine an East Stroudsburg where all kids can walk to school on a safe, well traveled path or bike lane on a quiet street.  Imagine getting your dailey excercise in on your way to work.  Imagine taking a quick trip down to the river for a dip... on your bike!  Imagine thousands of tourists comming to town and spending money in our shops, without a massive traffic jam on I-80!

All of these things will be possible with bicycle and transit infrastructure in place.

What would it look like?

Many of the improvments nessicary to a bicycle infrastructure would be very easy, and very cheap.  With a little thought, bike routes can be designated on many of the borough's quieter streets that will safley provide transit to cyclists parallel to major routes.  Then, some new grade separate (off the road) paths would be nessicary, to connect lanes through wooded sections, school grounds, and parks. Lastly support facilities would help the system operate efficiently.  Those would be bike racks at trailheads and major destinations as well as way-finding signage, and bike maps people can pick up at trailheads.

Links

Livable Poconos

Smart Transport PA

The Bikes Belong Coalition

Sustainable City on Wikipedia

City Ryde (Bike Sharing Experts)

PA's guide for Bike Facilities

More to come...

Links, maps, and action alerts...!