Creating Accessible Routes In Downtown Ellsworth 1 Ellsworth On The Move Creating Accessible Routes In Downtown Ellsworth Union River Healthy Communities Coalition

2 Goals Create safe continuous loops or pathways for people to utilize in Downtown Ellsworth. Work collaboratively with city and community groups. Get out and about in Ellsworth…Be more active.

Why is this important for our community? 3 Why is this important for our community? Being physically active is one of the most important steps that people of all ages and abilities can take action to improve their health. Source: http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/summary.aspx

A Few Noted Assets Downtown Ellsworth 4 A Few Noted Assets Downtown Ellsworth Attractive scenic areas Waterfront Schools Great shopping district Cafes/restaurants Theatre Library Chamber of Commerce Historic area Parks

5 Our Questions How do we all work collaboratively with the city and community to create a comprehensive asset- based map that promotes safe alternative means of travel routes? How can we improve parking so people will want to park in one area and travel by foot, bike, wheelchair, or stroller to their destination? How do we shift our thinking so people will want to go to destinations using an alternative means of travel?

Take a Trip with us in Downtown Ellsworth 6 Take a Trip with us in Downtown Ellsworth We spent a few hours in August mapping one of the city’s proposed accessible routes in the Downtown Ellsworth area. Here is what we found out…

7 We started outside the Maine Grind.

8 Let’s roll…

Uh oh…a few cracks along the way… 9 Uh oh…a few cracks along the way…

10 Looks easy enough…

11 Or is it ?

12 Yikes !

A nice route past the Hancock County Courthouse. 13 A nice route past the Hancock County Courthouse.

14 A bit steep down the hill in front of the library, however Tom can navigate anything!

The crosswalks in Downtown Ellsworth really help out. 15 The crosswalks in Downtown Ellsworth really help out.

16 Sidewalks in some areas of the Downtown area are wide enough for people to safely pass by each other.

Many modes of transportation… 17 Many modes of transportation…

Our Partners Ordinary citizens from the community Pyramid Studios 18 Our Partners Ordinary citizens from the community Pyramid Studios Shoe Gazer Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce Woodlawn Museum Cadillac Mountain Sports And many more to come…

What’s Next for Ellsworth On The Move? Discussion  19 What’s Next for Ellsworth On The Move? Discussion 

Our Comments & Questions 20 Interview more people who travel around Ellsworth without a car. Link this route to other streets and neighborhoods near the downtown area. Show this power point to other key stakeholders in the city as a way to invite further discussion. Develop a notebook listing places in Ellsworth to walk, stroll, bike, or roll. List these walks on the Healthy Maine Walks Website. How can we reconvene the Ellsworth Bike/Ped Commission to ensure future development of more accessible routes? How can the various committees (Ellsworth On The Move, Bike/Ped, etc.) work collaboratively and be part of the planning process to ensure new development have accessible routes? What do we do about Ellsworth’s compliance rules regarding sidewalks for all new buildings as people do not see this taking place, especially near the area of Hannaford, Home Depot, Lowes, and the future Super Wal-Mart? What can we do about areas that are not as accessible or do not have any sidewalks?

Related Websites Union River Healthy Communities Coalition 21 Union River Healthy Communities Coalition http://healthycom.org/ From Where I Sit http://www.geocities.com/thomasstipe/index.html Healthy Maine Walks http://www.healthymainewalks.org/findawalk.php City Of Ellsworth-Bike-Ped Walking Trails http://www.cityofellsworthme.org/planning/bike-ped/WalkingTrails.pdf