MITCH BARLOGA: Keep sidewalks and trails clear of snow

Ah, winter. These frigid months provide a daily challenge to our quality of life. A couple of months ago, I wrote about riding your bike in the winter, which is very much doable. So much so that our neighbor to the north, Minneapolis, has taken over the mantra as the most bicycle-friendly city in the United States. Oh yeah, their winters can make ours look downright toasty.

There are a variety of reasons behind this. Chief, however, is the city's pledge to maintain both bicycle and pedestrian access after snow events. If you're like me, you wait as long as you can to shovel your driveway — unless it's so deep that you can't use it. So the longer it remains, the more likely it will turn to ice. For a car, that's tricky, but for a bicycle or pedestrian, it's downright hazardous.

In Northwest Indiana, our trail network is growing rapidly. We now boast nearly 90 miles of off-road facilities — which will jump to well more than 100 in the next five years. Many people use these trails daily — no matter what time of year — for recreation, exercise and commuting.

Thankfully, a majority of communities in our region take the time to plow their sections of trail after the streets are taken care of. This eliminates snow from turning into ice, or in warmer weather, slush.

Connecting to our trail network are countless miles of sidewalks. These are especially sensitive to snow removal since individual homeowners are responsible for keeping them clear. On any given street, all it can take is one or two homes with unshoveled sidewalks to create a dangerous situation. This in turn creates a hazard for children walking or biking to their schools, or for any of us looking to use the sidewalk for a number of activities.

Creating a nonmotorized culture in Northwest Indiana involves plenty of people doing their part — especially in the winter months. From homeowners shoveling sidewalks, to municipal public works departments taking the time to plow trails, there are many actors who can make a difference and help reduce the overall effects of cabin fever.

At your level, it comes down to picking up the phone and calling your elected officials if trails and sidewalks are not taken care of. For far too long the overriding perception is that people just have to stay inside and avoid the cold weather until spring. Many folks, however, rely on nonmotorized transportation year-round, and they should be considered as important as those using cars and trucks as the snow falls.

For more information, please feel free to contact me at mbarloga@nirpc.org or (219) 763-6060 ext. 133. Think spring!

Mitch Barloga is nonmotorized transportation and greenways planner for the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission. The opinions are the writer's.