NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) - Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition coordinators want to help develop new travel routines for pedestrians and cyclists in New Philadelphia. 

Coalition President Dan Rice says they are hosting a meeting tonight to hear from residents about their ability to walk or bike around the city. Rice says the goal is to create safe and convenient alternatives to using a car to get around New Phila.

“Give us your ideas. What are your thoughts on bicycle and pedestrian connectivity? What are the destinations you would like to get to by either walking or bicycling? How do you feel right now about bicycling on High Avenue? How do you feel about bicycling throughout the city?”

Rice says they are using the engineering firm envisions to create a functional plan that the city can implement over time.

“They literally will be mapping out the different assets and attractions throughout the city of New Philadelphia, and then they’ll come back to the community and say, does this accurately reflect what we heard, is there something that we’re missing, is there something we haven’t thought of, and so really this is just the first step in the process.”

The meeting is scheduled inside council chambers at 6pm. Rice says they are looking for input on how people would like to get around the city without a car, where they want to be able to go, and how they feel about biking or walking now.  

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