Cascade, Idaho

An Action Plan for Safer Biking and Walking

Cascade, Idaho   |  2015

Project Details

The Challenge

Key Activities

Outcomes

Report

The rural city of Cascade sits in west-central Idaho, about two hours north of Boise, and serves as a popular recreation destination for the surrounding population. However, Cascade’s abundant amenities remain hidden from many novice travelers, who often bypass the community on their way to more widely-known destinations in nearby McCall.

The community was seeking opportunities to capture tourist traffic by improving the bicycle and pedestrian network while improving mobility options for year-round residents. The City of Cascade sought out Community Builders to develop a capital improvement plan for their community that identified projects to improve connectivity and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, and to enhance the economic development of the community.

We brought in Vitruvian Planning to lead a public process that would result in prioritized recommendations and implementation strategies. In April 2015, Vitruvian and Community Builders spent three days in Cascade conducting a workshop that included diagnostic activities and facilitated public meetings.

Working with the community team, Vitruvian joined us in completed a walk audit and street inventory to evaluate the current system and identify issues and opportunities for improving safety and connectivity. The team also held meetings with stakeholders, including a business forum to understand top needs and challenges. From this process, Vitruvian developed a report that outlined several high priority projects that were identified during the workshop, along with potential sources for funding.

Recommendations for the community were derived primarily from the stakeholder engagement process coupled with goals and objectives the community had outlined in its comprehensive plan. They ranged from short term “lighter, quicker, cheaper” design solutions, such as improved way-finding, to longer term infrastructure-based solutions that involve installing new facilities and physical changes to certain streetscapes.

Click the button below to view the final report.

CASCADE REPORT