Conducting a walking audit is an quick, easy and free step that anyone can take to start improving their place. In this article, trained architect and urban designer Edward Erfurt demonstrates how to do so, using a recently completed sidewalk project in his community as an example.
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North America's built environment makes it too dangerous for most children to walk to school. Edward Erfurt, Strong Towns' director of community action, knows that from experience. Here's how he's planning to make the street outside his son's school safer.
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Everything in the city communicates something about what we value.
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The reconstruction of this Toronto street highlights the problem with "standards."
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Why does walking feel so intuitive when we’re in a city built before cars, yet as soon as we return home, walking feels like an unpleasant chore that immediately drives us into a car?
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Although hundreds of states and local governments have adopted Complete Streets policies, American streets keep getting more dangerous for walkers and cyclists. What's missing from Complete Streets policies?
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A cautionary tale on rain gardens.
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Through a series of walk audits, local leaders in Peoria, IL, are not only observing the urban environment, but starting to understand how small, simple actions can profoundly shape it.
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You don’t have to move into a condo or apartment tower to support—and experience the benefits of—smart urban growth.
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Although many of us agree that walkability makes sense for countless reasons, few of us actually walk the cities where we live. Why? Because it sucks.
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Cities should take responsibility for getting the factors right that make public spaces lovable and worthy of care.
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Want to understand why some neighborhoods don’t sidewalks? #DoTheMath…and look at the history.
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Data, expert studies, and best practices abound for planners and policymakers. But they’re no substitute for humbly putting people at the center of our cities’ investments and attention.
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Many cities think they need to grow to get strong. But adding thousands of additional acres to the city and millions of dollars in infrastructure is usually the last thing a city needs. It’s like trying to lose weight by consuming more pizza and beer.
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Even in cities that tout their commitment to walkability, once it snows, those who walk (and roll!) often aren’t treated as equally important street users.
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Michael Brown was stopped by police for walking in the street. A lack of sidewalks makes this the daily reality for many Ferguson residents.
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Simple steps could make life much easier for people on foot. Why aren't our cities taking them?
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My city spent $1.4 million on new street lights and not a cent to build badly needed sidewalks. What can we do?
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A town can say that it cares about walkability, but its actions usually speak louder than words.
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What's wrong with this picture?
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