Mike Jewell, who is legally blind, understands the importance of safe streets and sidewalks. After all, hes been struck by a car seven times.
He also remembers the time he tripped over stairs at Allen Community College in the mid-1990s. The lights were out, which made it difficult to see the sidewalk with his then-limited sight. He complained to college officials, who apologized and rectified the situation.
Not long after that, he lobbied for a crosswalk at an intersection on the campus of Pittsburg State University after he was hit by a car there.
So when Damaris Kunkler, Thrive Allen Countys Community Engagement Initiative director, asked him to speak to local cities about the importance of sidewalks, Jewell didnt hesitate. He spoke to city councils in Iola and Humboldt in a bid to convince those cities to adopt a Complete Streets policy. Iola adopted the policy in 2016, and Humboldt made changes to make Ninth Street more user-friendly for pedestrians, cyclists and the disabled.
I wanted to get them to realize how important sidewalks are to their residents, Jewell said And just make sure that when they do plan their sidewalks, theyre more for function than beauty.
Iolas Complete Streets program asks city leaders to consider all users when planning street improvements. The plan doesnt force a city to take any particular action, but is more of a guideline that asks officials to think about pedestrians, especially the handicapped, cyclists and those who use motorized scooters as well as motor vehicles. The city could add sidewalks, crosswalks or bicycle lanes when they rebuild streets.
Thrive and Iola officials worked with Smart Growth America to develop the plan. Iola was the ninth city in Kansas to adopt a Complete Streets policy and the first rural community.
Humboldt did not adopt a similar policy but made other changes like the creation of a multi-use lane on Ninth Street.
Iolas sidewalks are better than some cities, Jewell said, but much work remains. He relies on the sidewalks to walk around the city because he cant drive and doesnt want to always depend on others. But he often ends up roaming around someones backyard because of poor or missing sidewalks.
He wants to help others who face similar problems but who may not be as willing to share their story.
When you help somebody else, it takes your mind off your own trouble a little bit, he said. We all have something wrong with us and we all have something we can do.
The efforts to adopt a Complete Streets program was part of Thrives Community Engagement Initiative, a three-year effort made possible by a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation. The initiative empowered residents like Jewell to take an active role in various community improvement projects. The grant ends April 30 but Kunkler said many of the programs will continue.
