(Idaho Falls, ID) – The Idaho Falls Community Development Services Department (CDS) is partnering with the Looking Glass Academy to present free workshops to identify barriers and explore solutions to walkability in the community.

The workshops will include presentations, discussions, and variety of walking tours in areas around Idaho Falls.  The event is designed to be interactive, and attendees can expect to learn how to identify walkability barriers and solutions, find technical resources to help improve walkability, and understand how pedestrian and bicycling systems are designed.  They will also learn how to conduct a “walk audit.”

The free workshops are funded by a grant from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and are scheduled for June 22 and 23.  The presentations will occur throughout the day from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm on June 22.  On June 23 the workshops will occur from 8:30 am to noon.  All workshops will begin at City Council chambers in the City Hall Annex, located at 308 Constitution Way.  

“We are very excited to partner with the Looking Glass Academy to provide this workshop to the community,” said Community Development Services Director Brad Cramer.  “The training will be put on by Chris Danley, who is one of the leading experts in Idaho on linking the built environment to our overall health. Anyone who attends will be in for a great experience learning about the importance of walkability in our community.”

Over the last several months, CDS has been conducting community meetings and gathering data from a citywide survey as part of the ImagineIF campaign to help plan for the future of Idaho Falls.  Through the course of the public outreach, improving bicycling and pedestrian safety has emerged as a top priority.  

“Through our Imagine IF outreach, it’s clear that improving our bicycle and pedestrian network and safety is one of the top priorities of the community,” said Cramer. “This training will help educate and train people to identify the local barriers and needed improvements that might be missed by those who don’t walk those sidewalks every day.”  

For more information or to sign up for the free workshops, contact the Idaho Falls Community Development Services Department at 208-612-8799 visit them online at www.idahofallsidaho.gov.  You can also click here to access more information.  

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Media Note: For more information or to schedule an interview with city staff, please contact City of Idaho Falls Public Information Officer Bud Cranor at 208-612-8306 or at [email protected].