Audit report aims to determine status of Tecumseh's ‘walkability’

By DEB WUETHRICH

The city of Tecumseh was the subject of a walkability audit on Monday afternoon when Dan Burden, the nation’s most recognized authority of walkability, bicycle and pedestrian programs and other planning elements, visited the downtown.

The audit is a hands-on evaluation of the walking conditions within a particular portion of a community followed by design improvement recommendations. Burden was joined by approximately 20 individuals representing city staff, Parks and Recreation Department and board, the Downtown Development Authority, Herrick Medical Center and other interested entities.

The program is part of a Michigan Department of Transportation collaboration with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Michigan Department of Community Health. Tecumseh was one of several Michigan cities that had applied to have an audit take place in the community.

“What I do is take a good look at your community with you and identify components of a future as being tied to your past to help visualize where you might want to go,” said Burden, who has personally photographed and examined walking, bicycling, placemaking and town center conditions in more than 2,500 cities in the U.S. and abroad. Burden was involved with a now famous project in Albert Lea, Minn., where a program was designed for a small city to become healthier and more active.

“We were able to add 10,000 years of life for the residents as a result of changing their lifestyle, environment and purpose in life,” said Burden. “The story has made a lot of headlines and is appearing this month in US News.”

Tecumseh Parks and Recreation Department Director Shelley Lim applied to MDOT for the opportunity to take part in the audit, and said that one of the things she hoped to learn was how to make the community more healthy with opportunities for people to take advantage of connecting the city’s parks, trails and downtown.

Economic Development Department Director Paula Holtz also took part in the audit, and said that Burden commented on how nice the city’s downtown was, with its street furniture, complementing canopies and storefronts.

“He said when things come together like that, it makes people feel safe and encourages walking,” Holtz said. Burden also spoke about various components, in general, that help communities achieve and maintain walkability.

One of the things Welch pointed out is that a lot of people don’t seem to come to Adams Park, next to City Hall, although it has several amenities including WiFi service. Burden said that Walt Disney pioneered a “next destination” strategy that would provide draws that would attract people to a given area. He said having helped communities for more than 37 years, he has the advantage of being able to help identify “portable” strategies that have worked other places as he consults with communities.

Burden is expected to provide a written report with some specific recommendations for Tecumseh. Results should be available within the next month.