Township Manager Gail Weniger envisions her Warwick Township, PA, (pop. 14,694) as a place where residents can opt to leave their cars at home and still get to their favorite destinations—even in neighboring communities.

To see this vision through, she is connecting her entire community to walking or biking trails, creating an extensive trail network that connects Warwick to its neighbors.

This strategy aims to satisfy two practical needs: to compensate for poor access to public transportation and to take advantage of the trails’ significant health benefits.

“If I made a list of things that I believe are important for the community and achieve the goals of the elected officials, the items would all be a subset of one goal—having a healthy sustainable community where the quality of life for the residents is high,” Weniger said. “The promotion of active living and walkability in the community contributes to this goal, not only by increasing fitness and health but by creating a sense of community through linking people to each other and to the business community.”

To reach its objectives, the township has been protecting open space and connecting neighborhoods and parks during the past decade. In fact, one of Weniger’s first projects, to achieve her elected official’s policy of connectivity, was securing easements and linking a park’s connecting sidewalks and walkways to three neighborhoods. Now, residents are safely enjoying a once-dangerous pedestrian route.

To further help in building connections, the township updated its comprehensive plan (the plan that maps out where and what kind of development will occur in a community) to match the subdivision and land development ordinances, so that developers are required to provide sidewalks in all new subdivisions. “The requirement of sidewalks and trails during the development process is the key to creating a walkable community,” says Weniger, adding that the requirement helps create a walkable community without using tax dollars. Safety issues were also addressed in the comprehensive plan. Developers, for example, are required to install pedestrian countdown signals.

Weniger also leads by example, participating in wellness programs offered by the township’s insurance provider and encouraging township employees to do the same. “I try to keep selling the wellness initiatives to the employees and actively promote participation the program,” says Weniger.