Bicycle Generic, Kalamazoo bicycle, kalamazoo bike, bike

Nearly 1000 bicyclists on South Westnedge Ave. during a Ride of Silence through downtown Kalamazoo Wednesday, June 8, 2016. The event marked the remembrance of the five bicyclists who were killed and four injured on North Westnedge Avenue Tuesday. (Mark Bugnaski/Kalamazoo Gazette)

The area covered by the Kalamazoo Area Transpiration Study includes all of Kalamazoo County and a portion of Van Buren County. (Courtesy)

KALAMAZOO, MI -- A community-driven approach to determine how non-motorized transportation can be improved is underway.

The Kalamazoo Area Transportation Study, a federally-created metropolitan planning organization, is seeking public input to determine where to build non-motorized transportation facilities like greenways and bike lanes.

Once finished, the plan would cover all cities, villages, and townships in Kalamazoo County. Also included are the Van Buren County townships of Waverly, Almena, Paw Paw and Antwerp, and villages of Paw Paw, Mattawan and Lawton.

The first of three open house meetings is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 7 at the Metro Transit Office, 530 N. Rose Street in downtown Kalamazoo. Presentations will take place at 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.

KATS is working two consultants, including Detroit-based AECOM and Grand Rapids-based Williams and Works, to help produce the plan, otherwise known as "KATS Moves." Once finished, expected by September, the plan will be used to prioritize grant-seeking opportunities.

Since KATS has no authority to raise revenues on its own, funding for the infrastructure projects comes a combination of federal transportation funds and matching funds from state and local governments. The organization was designed to allow local officials to collaboratively decide how transportation funds should be spent.

"Essentially, this plan is collating local plans under the KATS planning area and trying to understand which projects are most important, while trying to identify new projects as well," said Maxwell Dillivan, community planner with Williams and Works. "Think of it as a first mile and last mile plan getting people to and from existing transit facilities and common places in the region."

There are already 251 miles of non-motorized facilities planned by KATS, Dillivan said, and the planning process could add another 400 miles.

The planning process is vital to achieving a more complete, equitable, and sustainable transportation network for the Kalamazoo metro region, said Steve Stepek, KATS Senior Planner and KATS Moves Project Manager, in a press release.

Some improvements could include integrating bicycle and pedestrian features with the existing transit network and identifying new corridors for greenways and other non-motorized facilities.

Greenways are paths incorporated into natural areas such as parks or conservation areas. A greenway's primary goal is to encourage the preservation of a location, along with supplementing non-motorized transportation options typically through the use of off-street shared use pathways.

"Connecting existing transit services to a robust non-motorized transportation network will give Kalamazoo area residents greater choices when deciding how they would like to get from home to work and other destinations they need to reach," Stepek said in the statement.

A more thorough explanation of street features is available on the KATS website.

The KATS Moves process will also help ensure fiscal responsibility, Stepek said, by prioritizing the areas in greatest need of investment.

By 2045, the population of the metro region is expected to increase by another 40,000 residents, who will place an increased need for safe and efficient modes of transportation.

Future open house events will be announced once determined. All will be held at the Kalamazoo Metro Transit Office.

Various interactive stations will be set up to solicit comments and ideas from the public. Childcare and refreshments will be provided.

Online public feedback tools area also available. Residents can highlight areas on a map where they would like to see infrastructure improvements here. An additional survey can be taken online here.

More information on the project may be found at katsmoves.org.