A rarity in the United States: Being able to walk in your town

Importance of walkable cities. –  The United States is unlike many Western nations in a lot of ways. It horizontally covers an entire continent, and has different internal structures throughout, unlike countries in Europe. Living in New York City truly is an experience. We all walk, take the train, and explore the city mostly without driving, I’m sure we can somewhat relate to that. But how shocked were you when you first went to upstate NY, or PA, or any crazy suburban/rural state and realized, you literally cannot go ANYWHERE without driving. Well unfortunately, that’s what the majority of the US looks like, let’s take a look into it.

What defines a walkable city, and what is not? – A walkable city has a quite simple definition. It is pedestrian friendly, you can walk to the store, school, Gym, etc. without necessarily needing a car. Now an unwalkable city would be the opposite, you cannot do those things. You would need to drive to those places we just named. It isn’t pedestrian friendly, and you’re more or less in trouble if you don’t have a vehicle available to use.

Visual representation – Walkable cities:

Unwalkable Cities:

What are some examples of walkable cities, NY? – Some fantastic examples of walkable cities are London, Paris, and as we know and love New york. These are some of the most famous and iconic cities on the planet, and something they all have in common is that they are walkable. You can live here without driving. You can access what you need simply by taking a stroll. Matter of fact, many residents prefer not to use cars, due to the traffic, expenses and inconvenience.

What are the benefits of walkable cities, compared to unwalkable cities? – Now let’s get into some of the facts. Studies show that having a neighborhood to walk in, on average boosts moral and mental health. Walking is good for our brains, and it has great potential to bring a community together. Residents tend to be healthier due to more exercise, and despite being more crowded, due to less drivers, there is less carbon emission in the air, ultimately benefiting the planet as well. When pedestrians walk, there is a increased chance according to data that they will shop, elevating businesses and ultimately boosting the economy. 

What are some of the disadvantages of walkable cities? – Of course with all great things comes flaws, walkable cities like the examples I gave are arguably the most expensive and crowded places in the world. It costs a fortune to live here and that doesn’t inclusively involve rent. Food, clothing, and day to day items and expenses are far higher in price due to the demand of living here. It also tends to be very crowded, and ultimately higher crime. Cities like paris, and New York are some of the crime capitals of the world. More people, unfortunately results in higher rates of violence, theft, and illegal activity. Another aspect that is generally thrown under the rug are the likelihood of diseases spreading. Realistically, when you have people walking in close proximity, diseases can and will spread. This was especially prevalent during Covid -19

Facts – Walkable cities result in improved health, a cleaner environment, stronger economy, and far less risk of health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases via American cities and counties. Less carbon emissions, and better morale in residents. They are very costly to construct and live in, have higher crime rates, and spread diseases far quicker than what are considered “non walkable” cities and areas to live. Road closure is meant to benefit pedestrians, and restaurants that benefit from this see a profit in outdoor dining as well. Decreased noise pollution due to less automobiles results in desirable living conditions for residents.

What can we do about it – Now what is something we can do about this. Well, pushing for better transportation is a start. Cities in the US such as Los Angeles are as crowded and large as New York, but the transportation options there are strictly limited to cars. If we could get better transportation, it would force cities to be more walker friendly. Signing petitions is a start. It is also important to weigh the disadvantages, and consider the fact that some people won’t prefer to live in these cities, hence why they don’t. 

Key words 

• Traffic
• noise pollution
• Diseases
• Higher Crime
• Crowded
• carbon emission
• Driving
• Suburban
• Rural

References

2023, 20th July. (2023, July 20). The many benefits of more walkable streets. American City and County. https://www.americancityandcounty.com/2023/07/20/the-many-benefits-of-more-walkable-streets/ 

Walkable cities can benefit the environment, the economy, and your health. The Climate Reality Project. (2021, July 8). https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/walkable-cities-can-benefit-environment-economy-and-your-health 

Dickinson, K. (2021, April 27). Better neighbourhoods: Benefits of Walkable Cities. CityChangers.org – Home Base for Urban Shapers. https://citychangers.org/case-for-walkable-cities/ Mader, A. (2022, July 31). Health benefits of Walkable Cities. Keppel Health Review. https://www.keppelhealthreview.com/spring2022/walkable-cities