Lansing-area signs encourage walking
Take a stroll through downtown Lansing, DeWitt or Dimondale, and you might notice a few signs geared specifically toward pedestrians.
The signs point walkers to nearby parks, trails or landmarks and include information about how long it takes to get there on foot. A "QR" code provides walking directions via smartphone.
"The whole point of the signs is to help people see that they can incorporate walking into their daily lifestyle," said Kathy Hollister, executive director of the Capital Area Health Alliance. "It raises awareness that there are a lot of places to walk to."
The alliance installed 61 signs in five communities last year, pointing the way to destinations such as the Lansing River Trail and Michigan State University, Hollister said.
This year, the organization is planning to install 70 more in Lansing, East Lansing, Eaton Rapids, Okemos, Haslett, St. Johns and other communities.
Hollister said anyone in the tri-county area can request a walking sign in their neighborhood. The location needs to be a prominent pedestrian intersection and within a 15-minute walk to a park, trail, neighborhood center, farmers market or other community destination, she said.
The Capital Area Health Alliance pays for the signs and installation costs through a grant from Michigan's 4x4 Health and Wellness Plan, a statewide initiative aimed at reducing obesity and chronic illness. Hollister said the community groups or individuals who request the signs are responsible for obtaining the necessary permission to place them.
The walking signs are a part of the alliance's broader initiative to get people in the region walking more, Hollister said. That initiative includes a recently published parks and trails brochure for the area and a monthly "Let's Walk and Talk with a Doctor" series.
"We want people to see that walking is attainable and has huge benefits," Hollister said.
To find out how to place a walking sign in your neighborhood, contact the Capital Area Health Alliance at (517) 347-3377 or visit www.cahealthalliance.org.
Contact Kate DuHadway at (517) 610-6802 or kduhadway@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @k8rouse or on Instagram @movelansing.
