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Expand Sidewalk Requirements <br />in Subdivisions <br />Sidewalks are an important component for facilitating <br />pedestrian travel around a community. The public infra- <br />structure should connect homes to recreational facilities, <br />schools, neighborhood commercial nodes, and places of <br />employment. Sidewalks also provide important transport <br />linkages for individuals with mobility challenges and those <br />that do not have access to a motor vehicle. <br />A recent sidewalk inventory collected as part of the Elk <br />River Trails Master Plan offered several interesting obser- <br />vations. Certain portions of the community including <br />downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods, as well <br />as newer residential developments, are often well-con- <br />nected via sidewalks. However, large sections of Elk River <br />are underserved. Much of the area located east of Highway <br />169 and extending north of 197th Avenue to municipal <br />limits lacks sidewalks. Similarly, most development north <br />of Highway 10 and west of Elk Lake Road do not accom- <br />modate off -road pedestrian pathways. Although some of <br />these areas may currently feature development densities <br />that do not warrant the investment in sidewalks or trails, <br />continued monitoring of multi -modal demands across Elk <br />River is recommended to anticipate potential needs, espe- <br />cially as areas develop or redevelop at higher densities. <br />To ensure that future subdivisions provide pedestrian <br />connections, Elk River should consider updating is subdivi- <br />sion ordinance to require sidewalks. Many communities <br />require sidewalks be installed on both sides of roads <br />throughout a subdivision, while others only require it along <br />one side or only within a certain distance from key desti- <br />nations like parks, schools, or neighborhood commercial <br />nodes. Elk River should require a sliding scale of sidewalk <br />improvements based on the development pattern and <br />density of the subdivision. For example, mixed residential <br />subdivisions should be required to install sidewalks on <br />both sides of roads while traditional single-family resi- <br />dential may only be required to install sidewalks on one <br />side of roads. Similarly, rural residential subdivision should <br />only be required to install sidewalks within a half mile to a <br />quarter mile of key destinations. <br />Elk River Comprehensive Plan • Transportation & Mobility Plan <br />D7[L\arr0]C11IONVAI�VAVKOI01WO <br />i 0 <br />