Planning for Pathways:
An Implementation Resource of the New Designs for Growth Guidebook

The Northwest Michigan Council of Governments (NWMCOG) and the Planners Review and Advisory Committee (PRAC) announce the release of Planning for Pathways: An Implementation Resource of the New Designs for Growth Guidebook.

Planning for Pathways will help local governments implement the recommendations of the New Designs for Growth Guidebook. PRAC, NWMCOG, and other pathway stakeholders collaborated to develop Planning for Pathways which includes definitions, background, and models that local governments can use in their efforts to promote connected, continuous pathway networks throughout the region.

Pathways – also known as non-motorized transportation facilities – have long been a recreation priority in Northwest Michigan and are critical to the overall well-being of communities in the region. By providing opportunities for walking and bicycling, pathways create significant impacts on public health, traffic safety, mobility, the economy, and the environment. The New Designs for Growth Guidebook recognizes that pathways are increasingly important features in new development and site design, and encourages the creation of pathways as an integral component of communities’ transportation networks.

Because pathways can result in such significant public benefits, it’s important for local governments to play an active role in planning for these facilities. Integrating pathways objectives into local planning and zoning efforts can ensure that pathways are developed along continuous, connected routes, and that they are accessible, appropriately designed, and well-maintained.

Click here to view Planning for Pathways