Every city and community has unique destinations and sights for visitors while citizens have daily needs like shops, schools and services. For many of us when we have somewhere to go we just automatically hop in our car, but what if cities actually promoted walking? Walking is one of the easiest, cheapest, and safest form of exercise. It has many health benefits including managing your weight and improving your mood, and is a great socializing activity. While each city is unique, they all benefit from a healthy community that walks to nearby destinations and not drive. Just like walking itself, promoting it is cheap and relatively easy.
A dedicated group in Boston has created pedestrian maps to combat the myth that “driving is easier”. These maps show how easy it is to get to points of interest (landmarks, grocery stores, transit centers, etc.) on foot. With so much traffic congestion and parking problems in big cities it is often easier to walk. Other cities can encourage this through the use of way-finding signs, like the one pictured below from Winnipeg.
Winnipeg City Maps
Image courtesy of http://www.informingdesign.com/winnipeg
Many cities have historic sites, points of interest, and unique local businesses that people in cars will miss as they are driving by. As means to encourage walking and promote local venues El Paso, Texas created city walking trails. These walking trails use existing sidewalks and point out routes and points of interest making this change relatively low-cost. The program also includes brochures and trail maps. Its success led to expanding routes to multiple sections of the city.
Programs to encourage walking are as unique to each city and implemented at any size. We used to live in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, a small northern city of about 15,000. Here, a committed community group that included Michelle, developed a downtown walking lunch loop. This “lunch loop” is a designated route where workers and other community members can go on a mapped walk to get some fresh air and exercise during their lunch hour. This community group worked with the city to make sure that this route will remain plowed in the winter when Sault Sainte Marie often receives hefty snowfalls. One of the best ways to encourage others to walk is by walking yourself, so get out there and walk.
Plan for the Public 