Leetsdale officials are seeking public input on how they can make the borough more walkable, accessible and safe.

An active transportation plan survey was recently launched to collect information, comments and concerns from everyone who travels within the Quaker Valley area borough, including residents, visitors and commuters.

“What we really want to know is how people are using transportation in our borough in all ways that doesn’t include cars,” council president Maria Napolitano said. “It’s walking. It’s biking. It’s using micro-mobility devices such as electric wheelchairs (and) scooters. It is also using public transportation and having access to where the buses pick up riders. It’s all about accessibility and all about getting around the area.”

The online survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. Questions include: “How do you currently travel to destinations within Leetsdale” and “If improvements were made, what pedestrian improvements would you support?”

The idea for this active transportation plan took shape about a year and a half ago at a Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs conference, where Napolitano said she met Pennsylvania Downtown Center leaders and discussed grant possibilities.

The project is being paid for through a $30,000 grant from the WalkWorks program — an initiative between the state Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Downtown Center that supports the development and adoption of Active Transportation Plans. The funding is provided by the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Survey data will be used in a transportation plan crafted by Pittsburgh-based consulting firm Pashek+MTR. It will be reviewed by a steering committee consisting of nonprofit leaders, Quaker Valley School District officials, community leaders, agency partners and council members. The hope is to have it ready for public presentation in June.

Deadline to fill out the survey is Jan. 5. It may be extended about a week later, depending on responses.

“I realize it’s a busy time of year,” Napolitano said about launching a survey during the holiday season. “I do hope we get a lot of responses. … We do hope to hear from people from all walks of life. It will really help us make informed decisions for the borough.”

Napolitano said the goal is to make Leetsdale more welcoming to people of all mobility levels.

“Walkable, accessible neighborhoods are just nicer places to live in general,” she said.

More information about the survey is available under the community tab of the borough website. Those interested can also email borough secretary Jennifer Simek at simek@leetsdaleboro.net or Napolitano at mfnapolitano@gmail.com.

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