Five years ago, Durangoans were asked what would make the town a safer place for transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians.

The result was bike lanes at the U.S. Highway 550/160 intersection, sidewalks near Brookside Park and new bike racks citywide.

Those are some of the 13 projects that were finished as part of the city’s Multimodal Master Plan. Now, the city is updating the plan to include needed changes to the city’s parking lots and meters, and is seeking public input, said Amber Blake, director of transportation and sustainability.

Public outcry for certain projects can increase how highly the city ranks them as a priority. The city also factors in the cost of the project and where the money for it might come from. The estimated cost of the projects in the current plan is $41 million.

That did not include parking projects, so this time around, the city is asking about residents’ parking concerns.

Blake expects questions such as “Do we need a parking structure? If we do need a parking structure, where is the place to put it?” to be raised.

During a series of public meetings, the city will provide maps, and residents will be able to leave notes about problem areas and proposed solutions.

“You live in your neighborhood and you know what’s important or what’s missing or what needs to be improved,” she said.

The goal of the planning and construction is to make the city safe for a seventh-grader to travel around by themselves.

The city also is working on an assessment of how well public facilities accommodate those with disabilities. The process started with an evaluation of the transit stops and will likely continue with public buildings.

Those who have discovered problems with the city’s accessibility are welcome to voice them at the upcoming meetings.

Ten meetings will be held from February through October, starting Monday. By October, the city expects to have a draft plan for public review. The plan update will be finished by the end of the year, and it will be used to apply for grants to pay for projects.

mshinn@durangoherald.com

If you go

The first of 10 meetings to update Durango’s Multimodal Master Plan will be 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Durango Community Recreation Center. The second meeting will be 6:45 to 8 p.m. Feb. 29 at Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

For more information about the plan and a list of future meetings, go to getarounddurango.com.