Green Walkways Idea

Ok, I see a lot of talk about going green, and people walking more or using alternative transportation. Here where I live, we are a city of only 40,000 and there is no bus or L-trains. I like pondering things and looking at ways to please all parties. Something I see here is that the City has abandoned use of the alley ways -- and that in most of the neighborhoods there is only partial side walks or no sidewalks at all. This lack of sidewalks puts walkers, bikers, skateboarders etc. in the street.  So, here is the thoughts I came up with:

Recondition the alleys to be used for "green" traffic -- meaning walkers, bikes, skateboarders, and electric scooters, motorized wheelchairs, etc. 

BENEFITS:

• Alleys already exist in every city
• Using alleys for foot traffic and non-vehicular traffic separates them from the dangers of motorized traffic and motorized traffic is not impeded by traffic that can't keep pace
• Using alleys as green walks means that only one *sidewalk/navigable* area is needed for every block -- thus reducing the number of needed sidewalks from four, to only TWO (the one up the middle and then lateral sidewalks on one end of each block to let walkers, riders etc get to the next block, thus reducing the expense of creating and maintaining sidewalks (from the air -- it would look like a T on every block)
• Cross walks would be mid block where the alleys are since that is where everyone is walking anyway so you would have foot traffic only mid-block and not both ends of a block.
• Light the alleys/green walkways with solar street lamps so that they are a one time expense and no cost to power them other than to replace bulbs when necessary
• Consider partnering with companies that would be willing to pave the alley/green walkways with some sort of solar panels that could produce solar energy to power 

The more I think of this, the more convinced I am that this would be an awesome solution to safe walkways for foot traffic and provide opportunities for *green energy* companies to come in and have a foot hold to provide resources green energy rather than electricity.... if the electric companies want to be the ones to play, GREAT! If they don't, then move over and let some other company come in that will bring it....but the end resulting energy must be the same price or less than regular energy....

Makes me wish I was a City Manager somewhere, I would be investigating the possibilities and moving my city towards this idea....

I am hopeful that launching such an idea to the internet will get it picked up and put into the world -- it doesn't matter which of us gets it to happen, it only matters that it happens.

Bright Blessings and Blessed Be

Rayven Michaels

Wiccan Witch of the Midwest