HUGHESVILLE - With obesity and its resulting health issues reaching epidemic proportions, America may soon be known as the land of the free and home of the fat.
Communities in eastern Lycoming County are taking steps to make sure that trend is reversed.
On Tuesday, municipal officials and residents from the Muncy-Hughesville areas met at the Hughesville Public Library to discuss an initiative designed to promote walking and bicycling in those communities.
Hosted by the county in cooperation with SEDA-Council of Governments Community Resource Center, the event was held to discuss the results of a study focusing on walking and biking opportunities in those communities, road blocks to such opportunities and to gather input from municipal officials on what their priorities are regarding plans to promote pedestrian activities.
The study and a proposed draft plan designed to guide municipal officials in pedestrian and bike-friendly planning is an offshoot of SEDA-Council of Government's work with the Susquehanna Greenway, said Brian Auman, resource center landscape architect. The work takes the greenway initiative from a "big picture" concept covering 500 miles of the Susquehanna River to one that is focused on specific communities, he said.
In the 1980s, there wasn't even any data on obesity, Auman said. But from 1990 on, the levels of obesity in Pennsylvania has steadily risen. Overall, 25 percent of the state's residents are obese, he said. In some communities, obesity levels are much higher, he said.
Much of the reason for that is a decades-long reliance on the automobile, he said.
"We've built an environment around the automobiles for 60 years," Auman said. "We're suffering the consequences of that."
Making improvements that promote walking and biking will improve the health of local residents, Auman said. Not only that, it can provide economic development and revitalization to communities while improving residents overall quality of life, he said.
On display during the event were two aerial maps, one that showed the Borough of Muncy and Muncy Creek Township area, and the other that showed the Borough of Hughesville and Wolf Township area.
The maps were the result of work by a study committee which was created to work on identifying destinations and recreational areas, pinpoint "hot spots" where pedestrian safety is a concern, evaluate sidewalk conditions, and delineate routes that could safely connect the destinations to each other.
Sidewalks on the map were color-coded to denote whether they were in good condition, poor condition or did not exist at all.
Auman also presented slides that showed photographs of streets and roads in the communities. They were followed by pictures of concept drawings depicting streetscape improvement to increase pedestrian safety on such streets and roads.
A major deterrent to pedestrian and bike activity is truck traffic from the natural gas industry, Auman said. In Hughesville, that traffic creates hazards for children attempting to cross Route 405, he said.
Auman presented a list of "Walkable-Bikeable Community Principals" for municipal officials to take back to their communities for adoption. The principals acknowledge the importance of walking and biking and endorse alternative modes of transportations, student wellness programs and recreation.
Several in attendance voiced their support for the principals and said they would urge their local officials to adopt them.
County Transportation Planner Mark Murawski said the initiative is a concept outlined in the county Comprehensive Plan, a document designed to guide municipal planning in the county growth corridor, which roughly follows the contours of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.
Examples of the impact of that philosophy can be seen throughout the county, Murawski said.
Such concepts can be seen in Williamsport with the Susquehanna River Walk and Susquehanna Health's Pathway to Health initiative and in Jersey Shore where borough officials saw the need for a safe connection to the Pine Creek Rail Trail.
Such projects were successful because the municipalities where they occurred partnered with county government, agencies and organizations to get the job done, Murawski said.
Commissioner Rebecca A. Burke said the county is ready and willing to continue being one of those partners.
Auman said the county's support for the initiative has been extraordinary.
"They are good people to have on your team," he said. "SEDA-COG covers 11 counties. Believe me, you don't see that kind of support in other counties."
