Extension announces LEAP walk audit Aug. 5 in West Liberty; CDC grant will add bike racks in county towns

Nora Dwyer of the Muscatine County Extension Service updated the Board of Supervisors on the county’s LEAP (Local Equity and Access Promotion) initiative during public comment on July 28. Dwyer invited supervisors and the public to a community walk audit in West Liberty on Aug. 5 to identify sidewalk and route issues that affect walking and biking.

Dwyer said the county received CDC funding to install bike racks — six in West Liberty, two in Fruitland and one in Wilton — and that the racks are intended to make biking more feasible by providing secure places to lock bicycles. “The idea is that if bike racks are installed, we tend to see people riding their bikes more or using them more if they feel like they've got a safe place to secure them,” Dwyer said.

She asked supervisors to consider inviting school districts and the Chamber of Commerce to participate in the walk audit; she also said the LEAP grant is administered through Iowa State University and that staff expect clearer information about future funding in September. Dwyer offered to return in September or October to give a fuller progress report.

No board action was required; this was a public‑comment informational item.