Active Transportation Plan
Village of Germantown Hills

Public Comment Period Now Open!

The Village of Germantown Hills is preparing to finalize an Active Transportation Plan in partnership with Tri-County Regional Planning Commission. The plan provides recommendations on how to make walking, biking, and other forms of active transportation safer and more convenient for residents of the Village.

A draft version of the Plan is now available for public comment (via the Village website) through September 30th at the following link:
Germantown Hills Active Transportation Plan

 

The Village of Germantown Hills and Tri-County Regional Planning Commission are creating an active transportation plan for the village after identifying a need and desire to improve walking and biking in Germantown Hills as part of its comprehensive planning process in 2025.
 

This plan aims to improve active transportation safety, accessibility, comfort and connectivity in Germantown Hills. Active transportation is any form of human powered transportation including walking cycling, using a wheelchair, or skateboarding. Proposed active transportation improvements will be prioritized to help the village and partner agencies complete the most important improvements and connections first, ensuring a systematic development of future walking and biking networks.

Benefits of Active Transportation

Health

Walking and biking for transportation provides an opportunity to regularly engage in physical activity, potentially reducing obesity and mortality risk from conditions associated with inactivity. Regular exercise and time spent outdoors can also improve mental health, especially considering the social benefits of increased neighborhood interactions compared to time spent in a motor vehicle.
 
Safety
When active transportation infrastructure is designed properly many safety benefits can be had for not only pedestrians and cyclists but also for drivers. Oftentimes projects result in lower vehicle speeds which lead to fewer crashes and in the event of a crash, less of a chance for injury or fatality for all involved. Many active transportation projects look to separate cyclists and pedestrians from cars either through sidewalks, trails, bike lanes, or other means which results in fewer conflicts with traveling vehicles. If these projects are designed properly and generate more pedestrian and bicycle trips, drivers then become more aware of the change in behavior and become more attentive of areas that see frequent active transportation use.
 
Environment

A well developed active transportation network supports the environment by replacing car trips with low impact, human powered travel. Walking and biking reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and lessen the need for energy intensive road maintenance. Communities can dedicate less land to wide roads and parking lots, allowing more space for parks and green infrastructure, ultimately reducing noise pollution and creating calmer communities.

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