‘Walkability is a concept which is known as a measurement of the pedestrian-friendly degree of an area. This term recently has been in focus of urban designers and planners to make a sustainable environment for communicating, recreation, and shopping by the pedestrian base. (Rafiemanzelat, Emadi & Kamali, 2016, P.2).
We can look at walkability as “the extent to which the built environment is friendly to the presence of people walking, living, shopping, visiting, enjoying or spending time in an area” (Burden, 2010). In other words: ‘An ideal walkable community would include housing, office, retail and adequate access to services such as public transportation, schools, and libraries. Also, streetscapes would better serve a range of users, which include pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and automobiles.’ (Muhlbach, 2012, P.5).
Walking has numerous social, individual and environmental benefits. It can change your mood, decrease depression, and improve psychological well-being.
Walkability strategy should be implemented by the cities around the world, even if the city starts by just one neighbourhood or one street. Raising awareness about how vital walking will help to have an outstanding effect on each citizen, the community and the environment. Every significant change could start just by one enthusiastic human being, thriving for a better life.
References:
City sustainability: the influence of walkability on built environments, Reihaneh Rafiemanzelata, Maryam Imani Emadib, Aida Jalal Kamalia, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352146517303551
Building Healthy Communities: Integrating Walkability Concepts into Local Land Use Planning, Jenna Danelle Muhlbach, University of Nebraska-Lincoln http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1015&context=arch_crp_theses
WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS An Economic Development Strategy, Presented by Jim Bliesner, Steve Bouton and Barry Schultz, https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/livable-communities/act/transportation/Walkable-Neighborhoods-An-Economic-Development-Strategy-AARP.pdf
(Photo by Fábio Ferreira on Unsplash)