Active Living
Making the active choice, the easy choice
The benefits of physical activity are far ranging and the list seems to grow longer each day. An active lifestyle reduces an individual’s risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, anxiety, and some cancers. Physical activity can also boost one’s lifespan and reduce the complications for individuals living with chronic diseases. Students who actively commute to school arrive on time, ready to learn, and more likely to carry an active lifestyle into adulthood. Communities that promote physical activity through increased access to safe, enjoyable, and convenient trails, parks, and safe routes to schools not only improve the health of residents, but also improve the local economy.
Active and walkable communities helps to increase:
- Economic vitality
- Employee recruitment, retention, and presenteeism
- Neighborhood revitalization
- Property values
- Safety for all modes of travel
Collaboration for Complete Streets
After hosting a Trailhead to Health Summit in 2010, Healthy By Design became one of the most vocal entities for the adoption of a Complete Streets policy in Billings. Complete Streets are roadways built for all users. A Complete Street may include sidewalks, median islands, bike lanes, curb extensions, or timed pedestrian signals at intersections. A resolution of the City of Billings to adopt a Complete Streets policy was passed by City Council in August 2011. In 2016, as implementation grew, Billings City Council revisited the Complete Streets policy. Originally intended to increase physical activity, the 2016 review focused on equity. Parents, youth, seniors, and differently-abled residents rallied to express support for Complete Streets as an essential means of meeting daily needs, including social interactions. The 2016 policy was successfully adopted to include a project checklist and opportunity for broader public input on roadway projects.
Active living successes
Since the initial passage of the Complete Streets policies, our community has worked together for many great wins for active, healthy lifestyles and access in Yellowstone County, including:
- 15 miles of shared use paths and 20 miles of bike lanes have been added and the number of crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists has decreased
- The It All Adds Up! Campaign was developed to address gender disparities
- Health related metrics and goals have been incorporated into area plans and assessments including the 2017 and 2021 Complete Streets Progress Reports, 2017 Billings Area Bikeway and Trail Master Plan, and the 2016 Billings Growth Policy.
- Equity criteria was included for bicycle and trail project prioritization in the 2017 Billings Area Bikeway and Trails Master Plan Update
- Parks Rx maps were created for Pioneer and North Parks and South Side Stories maps were created for two walking routes on the South Side of Billings
- Walkability considerations were included in the 2020 Zoning Code update
- In 2020, Billings was awarded an $11 million BUILD grant from the US Department of Transportation to help complete a key transportation connection, with funds supporting roadway and active infrastructure costs
- Billings City Mayor declared the month of October “walktober” beginning in 2020
