Walkability

Using data from the Women’s Health Initiative, a new study reveals that a walkable environment may not be enough to get people to walk more.

April 8, 2013 - KPLU

David Moser pens a compelling essay that examines the ways in which sprawling auto-dependent land use patterns exacerbate poverty. As more low-income individuals and families are pushed to the suburbs, "this problem is gaining urgency."

March 13, 2013 - Citytank

With new bike paths, regional trails, and renovated parks, Cleveland is catering to bikes and pedestrians, says Steven Litt. He explains how this "car town" is "undergoing a revolution in attitudes toward public space, city streets and walkability."

March 11, 2013 - The Plain Dealer

A newly published University of Melbourne study ten years in the making reveals that increased access to shops, parks, and other amenities increased walking and overall health.

March 10, 2013 - Science Daily

The Spanish city of Pontevedra has developed an innovative, and attractive, map of pedestrian connections based on the color-coded subway maps common to cities around the world; burnishing its reputation as "a leader in walker-friendly urban policy."

March 5, 2013 - POLIS

The result of a collaborative effort between five editors and 43 professionals from around the world, a new open-source book documents the essential concepts and strategies for creating great cities at eye level - along the ground floor ("plinths").

February 13, 2013 - The City at Eye Level

Can urban form help address the loneliness that so often accompanies aging? In a new blog post, Hazel Borys examines some remedies for severed connections.

February 12, 2013 - PlaceShakers

How does each of us perceive the city? Using photos of pedestrians in Seattle crosswalks and the highly walkable Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Chuck Wolfe challenges readers to think for themselves about what they see.

February 8, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

This Big City reviews a new book by urban designer Julie Campoli that explores the elements crucial to creating walkable places. "Simply having shops, services and venues within walking distance is not enough."

February 6, 2013 - thisbigcity.net

Charles Marohn derides the conflicted approach to creating "Safe Routes to Schools" in the United States. With new data linking transport to school to educational outcomes, is it time to rethink the federal government's popular program?

February 6, 2013 - Strong Towns

Although leaders in the Twin Cities seem to agree on the need to improve the appeal of city streets for those on foot, turning those words into actions seems difficult. Bill Lindeke offers three easy solutions that don't involve touching the street.

February 1, 2013 - Streets MN

Shopping for bulky items can be one of the challenges of living car free. Here are three of the best ways I've found for dealing with the problem.

January 30, 2013 - Michael Lewyn

James Sallis, this year’s winner of the Bloomberg Manulife Prize for the Promotion of Active Health, discusses the obstacles to increasing opportunities for physical activity in our communities, and how to overcome them.

January 24, 2013 - National Post

Kaid Benfield proposes not only more walkable neighborhoods in the United States, where a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle every 7 minutes, but also more walking to reverse the country's alarming obesity trend.

January 17, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard

Richard Florida interviews Jeff Speck about his new and highly praised book "Walkable City." The two authors discuss why cities should become more walkable to meet the needs of the "Walking Generation."

January 13, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A new website, Walksteps.org, provides communities tactics for creating walkable communities.

January 9, 2013 - Transportation Radio

An award-winning street redesign project in the Los Angeles exurb of Lancaster provides a case study in the value of retrofitting for walkability.

January 6, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard

Alison M. Rice looks at the transformation of the Washington D.C. suburb of Merrifield, Va. from an industrial-suburban wasteland to a $542 million mixed-use development.

December 22, 2012 - The New York Times

In the aftermath of the presidential election, an observation by the star statistician Nate Silver about the connection between sidewalks and voting patterns has been getting a lot of play. Robert Steuteville tries to depoliticize walkability.

November 10, 2012 - Better! Cities & Towns

Planning policies related to the economy and environment are easier to measure, but Hazel Borys asks, "how do we measure national happiness, well-being, and social capital as they relate to the way we plan our neighborhoods, towns and cities?”

November 8, 2012 - Better Cities & Towns