Rochester Walk Audit

How walkable are the streets in your community? Are they accessible, safe, comfortable and enjoyable for residents of all ages? Age Friendly Olmsted County at Family Service Rochester was recently awarded an AARP Community Challenge grant to conduct a walk audit in the Slatterly Park neighborhood. A Walk Audit is a fun, interactive way to assess the pedestrian experience in our neighborhoods.

2023 Slatterly Park Walk Audit
Saturday, September 9, 10 a.m. - Noon
Redeemer Lutheran Church 869 7th Ave SE, Rochester, MN

How it Works:

1. We will gather at the Redeemer Lutheran Church
2. After a brief program, 12 teams of 3 - 5 walk auditors will disperse to 12 starting points throughout the Slatterly Park neighborhood in southeast Rochester.
3. Each team will have a team leader who has received training in completing a walk audit using AARP's Walking Audit toolkit is a comprehensive guide designed to help individuals, communities, and organizations assess the pedestrian-friendliness and walkability of their neighborhoods. The toolkit aims to empower participants to identify potential improvements for safer, more accessible, and enjoyable walking experiences.
4. Some teams will walk along a pre-determined route noting and recording observations about sidewalk conditions, intersections, traffic flow, and other elements of their pedestrian experience.
5. A few teams may make observations at a specific site - for example, major intersections.
6. After completing their routes, team leaders will submit their team's observations for compilation and analysis.
7. Following the audit, We Bike Rochester will treat audit participants with frozen treats at La Michoacana (28 9th St SE) where attendees will be invited to discuss their observations and recommendations.
8. A report of the Walk Audit will be presented at a Rochester City Council study session later in the fall.

You do not need to be a resident of the Slattery Park neighborhood to participate. All are welcome in this inclusive, community event to learn about walkability and experience a walk audit. The goal is to create a community that is walkable for people of all ages.

Walk Audit Partners: Age-Friendly Olmsted County; City of Rochester Community Development Department; City of Rochester Public Works Department; Family Service Rochester; RNeighbors; Slatterly Park Neighborhood Association

This project is supported by an AARP Community Challenge grant with support from America Walks, a leader in advancing walkable, equitable, connected, and accessible places in every community across the U.S.