5 Ingredients of Walking
What does Walkability Mean?
WalkSanDiego defines walkability as a place where people of all ages and abilities have safe, enjoyable, and easy access to their community on foot. There are 5 critical ingredients:
1. Good Sidewalks:
First, we need sidewalks on all streets. The way these are designed is very important. For example,
- Is the sidewalk level and wide enough for two people to walk? Without interrumption of a say, telephone pole?
- Is there an area between pedestrians and the street that allows for vegetation and/or street furniture?
- Does the sidewalk have a ramp at the curb for the disabled and others to access the sidewalk?
2. Safe & Easy Crossings:
How many times have we crossed the street wtihout a crosswalk simply because the closest one seems too far away?
Street crossings should be available every 300 feet (about 1/2 the length of a block) to increase the safety and ease of crossing. Crossings should include:
- Painted or decorative crosswalk
- Stop bar - brightly painted line that stops cars before entering the crosswalk
- Curb extension - extends the curb out into the street to slow vehicles and shorten crossing distance for pedestrians
3. Traffic calming:
Just like it sounds, engineers have tools they can use to slow traffic speeds and make it safer for walking, even while allowing cars to flow smoothly. Some of these tools include:
Curb extension - at intersections, extends the curb into the street to slow vehicles turning the corner and shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians.
Road diet - reduces the number of lanes and lane widths. By painting one lane instead of two, cars cannot pass one another. The narrow lane width gives drivers the impression they should slow down.
Roundabout - slows traffic at intersections without making cars actually stop. Yes, even fire trucks and emergency vehicles can go around!
4. Safety, Comfort & Beauty:
This is the easiest point to explain. We all want to walk in places that are interesting and make us feel comfortable. Lots of small details can make the street more inviting.
- Landscaping and trees
- Public art
- Clean and well-maintained sidewalks
- Lighting
- Street benches
5. Great Destinations:
Our communities are much more walkable if there are great places nearby that make it worth walking. This allows us to walk as part of our daily activities rather than getting into our car.
- Shopping - stores, markets, restaurants
- Services - hospitals, clinics, post office, pharmacy, bank
- Transportation - trolley, bus stops, train
- Recreation - parks, community centers, etc.
