A large number of individuals who’ve attended college in the past say that the years they spent there were the best years of their lives. We often attribute this to the fact that they were freshly starting out, brand new adults ready to adventure and make a lasting impact on the world around them. They probably made friends, found their career path, and built lasting habits and traditions. These reasons make sense, but on top of them, I’d like to propose another: walkability.

College campuses present a rare and special existence to the people who live on them. They live in places where they can walk to see their friends, to get food, to their classes and jobs, clubs and events, the gym, and more. The places they frequent are surrounded by green grass and trees. They have resources to help them with their careers, classes, and health. This is a brilliant microcosm of what the cities of the world should hope to achieve.

What Does Walkability Encompass?

Let’s start with the basics: in order for a city to be walkable, there must be places for people to walk. This means large, well-maintained sidewalks and crosswalks that are spacious enough for the population to use comfortably. They have to be safe, well-lit, and practical, too.

A large issue with cities deemed to be “non-walkable” is that their sidewalks, crosswalks, and other pathways are inefficient for getting people where they need to go. They take longer, less useful directions than the roads. This could also be due to the fact that the needs of people living in certain areas can’t be met through walking: they may have to drive to the grocery store if there isn’t one close enough to them, or if it isn’t safe to walk.

Overall, this means that walkability is determined by the infrastructure created for walking along with the potential needs and wants of citizens being met within a reasonable distance to their residence. If you can’t get most of what you need on foot, your city is requiring you to have a car (or take public transportation, which suffers from similar inefficiencies).

Why Does Walking Matter?

• Environmental benefits: by enabling people to walk, there will be less cars on the road and a smaller carbon footprint for the city overall.

• Use of space: commute by car means parking lots, huge multi-lane roads, merge ramps, bridges, and more. If a city becomes fully walkable, this obscene amount of space can be used for public parks, art installations, housing, religious areas, and other places that enrich our lives.

• Time: when everything you need is close by, you save time. There’s also no dealing with traffic, sitting at stoplights, etc.

• Exercise and Nature: walking is great exercise for people of all ages! Spending time outdoors instead of in your car brings you closer to the environment than before, and has tremendous physical and mental health benefits.

• Social Connection: being in a car is a form of isolation. By spending time out in the world with your neighbors, you can find new friends, experiences, and places to be.

For all of these reasons, a walkable city is a huge upgrade from one that requires you to have a motor vehicle. Our society may be focused on the technology of environmentally friendly or cost-effective cars, but the true innovation is realizing that we shouldn’t have to make a purchase like that to live in cities that discourage walking next door.

If this case for a future of walkable cities sounds appealing to you, keep it in mind when you use your dollar, your time, and your vote.

References

Planetizen. (2024). What Is Walkability? | Planopedia. Www.planetizen.com. https://www.planetizen.com/definition/walkability

USAFacts. (2024, June 18). What is walkability? What does the government spend on it? USAFacts. https://usafacts.org/articles/what-is-walkability-what-does-the-government-spend-on-it/

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