Creating Walking Connections in Cummington

 

WalkBoston, along with a group of about 8 participants including residents, Select Board members, and a representative from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, conducted an in-person walk audit along Cummington’s Main Street to the Town’s grocery store (Creamery Co-op), on Friday, October 15th. This walk audit was preceded by a virtual Ped101 session with a group of 10 residents. 

Residents in Cummington, are interested in improved walking connections to the Creamery, finding ways to calm traffic through Main Street, and to reduce speeds throughout town, especially heavy trucking traffic. Cummington faces unique challenges as Route 9, a MassDOT owned and operated road, runs through town and vehicles often travel at high speeds.  WalkBoston’s forthcoming summary report of the walk audit process in Cummington will offer recommendations to the Town for improvements and funding opportunities that will help support and encourage walking for those of all ages and abilities in Cummington. 

The Hilltown CDC, together with Healthy Hampshire and WalkBoston, are leading a 5-year grant project to promote Age-Friendly Walkability in the Hilltowns Village Centers, funded by the Dept. of Public Health’s Healthy Aging Fund. In partnership with community residents and leaders, the team will be conducting a series of walk audits in partnering Hilltowns villages. The goal of these walk audits is to identify infrastructure improvements and policy changes to make village center walking safe and enjoyable for people of all ages in the Hilltowns. The town of Cummington is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.