Letters: Honor F3 runner with safer running spaces

As a runner for the past 50 years and part-time cross country and track coach, I was deeply saddened by the recent death of F3 runner John Flanagan, killed while jogging in Lexington. I am also surprised we don’t see more pedestrian deaths in our area.

Other than Gibson soccer fields, there are no parks in Lexington in which to run safely. In addition, much of Lexington lacks sidewalks (including around our schools), bike paths, shoulders on our narrow roads, street lights and crosswalks.

Instead of rebuilding the dam at Old Mill along U.S. 1, why not construct a parkway path all along Twelve Mile Creek as it courses its way through the county?

A good model would be the beautiful Little Lehigh Parkway in Allentown, Penn., where thousands of residents over the past century have jogged, walked and biked along a pathway that parallels this pretty creek. It is also a popular fishing stream.

Many of our citizens want to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. I think a John Flanagan Parkway would help meet this need.