Walkability Is Far More Than a Buzzword
Research confirms that walkability is one of the most highly prized community characteristics today. We consider walkability of our projects and how the project relates to the overall community among our highest priorities.
Benefits of Walkability - What makes walkability an important factor in development considerations is that it does so many good things for a community. It increases home values; promotes better health; helps to reduce automobile congestion; benefits local businesses with meaningful exposure to people; and encourages a higher level of social connection. With all the good things that flow from walkable places, you can't, as a responsible developer, fail to plan for walkability.
Meaning of Walkability - People need to fundamentally understand that walkability isn't created in a vacuum. Creating a walking path within our own isolated development may create a place to walk, but it doesn't promote walkability. The term walkability isn't just about walking. It's about walking from our homes to destinations that matter to us - shops, restaurants, parks, or our place of work - and encountering interesting things to see and do along the way.
Meaning of Walkability - People need to fundamentally understand that walkability isn't created in a vacuum. Creating a walking path within our own isolated development may create a place to walk, but it doesn't promote walkability. The term walkability isn't just about walking. It's about walking from our homes to destinations that matter to us - shops, restaurants, parks, or our place of work - and encountering interesting things to see and do along the way.
Walkability Requires Density - At the heart of promoting walkability is another required element - residential density. Walkability involves having concentrations of population where the services are. This can't be achieved by the spread out, "low density is good" mentality that gave rise to the suburban housing model - a model that many cities across the U.S. are now working creatively and feverishly to correct. The old model suburbs, in fact, have become the poster child for unsustainable development. Promoting walkable communities is one important cure for the problem.