The current design of our city streets not only prioritizes cars but discourages walking and other forms of active transportation, creating a landscape ill-suited for walking.
We at Living Streets see an exciting opportunity for cities to improve the design of streets to make people want to walk, thereby improving mental and physical health outcomes.
We believe that walking is much more than its movement and utilitarian purposes; it is a means to socialize with others and feel belonging in your community, equitably access key destinations, contribute to sustainability outcomes, and improve physical and mental health.
It goes without saying that getting up and walking is a fantastic way to improve your overall health. With just 30 minutes a day, walking has been proven to improve cardiovascular fitness, reduce body fat and reduce the risk of developing health conditions. Unlike other forms of exercise, walking is low impact, can be done at any time at any pace, and is free.
Research has also shown that walking is an effective activity to reduce stress, even more so when adequate access to green spaces is available. Walking in green areas can alleviate depression and anxiety while also reducing feelings of low self-esteem, loneliness, and social isolation.
Characteristics of walkable communities
When it comes to the design of our streets, there lies the incredible potential for streets to serve people on a human scale. Streets can be so much more than means of transportation; streets are capable of unlocking inclusive, accessible, and sustainable community spaces.
However, people will not willingly take to the streets and/or shift away from automobile travel if the streets are not designed to support their needs. Streets must catch human interest beyond curbside appeal, provide safety and security, be designed for All Ages and Abilities, and support human interaction. In shifting away from auto-oriented travel towards multi-modal transportation systems that prioritize walking over cars, cities have a unique opportunity to contribute to community health and well-being.
Density and Multi-use Zoning
If cities want to increase walking, people need destinations that they can walk to. Streets can be so much more than means of transportation; streets are capable of unlocking inclusive, accessible, and sustainable community spaces. Building visually-appealing shops, parks, and other recreational facilities within walking distance would reduce the need of owning a car. More importantly, walkable neighborhoods need to pair destinations with density. By increasing density, more people have access to the amenities and services they need in everyday life. Economically, density is valuable for businesses by supplying a critical mass of people to support a vibrant community and making business more viable.
Connectivity
A well connected network of streets goes hand and hand with increased walkability. Having a complete network of pathways linking key destinations makes it more convenient for walkers; It allows for many different routes to a destination instead of just one, inviting walkers to explore.
Walkers have numerous opportunities to vary their route, to stop and chat or to link their trip to another location, or shorten or lengthen their walk without retracing their steps along the same roads. Without a connected network of paths, walkers are forced to take circuitous routes to reach their destination at the expense of time and distance.
Safety
Safety is often cited as one of the key barriers to walking on the streets, especially for young children. In an ideal walking environment, pedestrians are clear of traffic. This is important for a few reasons. First, exposure to air pollution is really damaging to health. According to the World Health Organization air pollution is one of the leading causes of global mortality, with cars being one of the biggest contributors to that. Over reliance on cars on the streets has increased the risk of a number of avoidable health conditions.
Second, concerns for pedestrian safety aren’t entirely unfounded. In North America, the vast majority of serious cyclist and pedestrian accidents involve a vehicle. CAA(2022) found that nearly 30% of drivers reported they have witnessed a near miss or collision in a school zone. To keep pedestrians safe, streets need to be designed with ample protection away from the dangers of cars.
Happy Walking!
