Just a few years ago, the idea that we could have a national conversation about walking might have seemed unlikely. After all, we’ve been walking forever. What’s there to talk about?
As it turns out, plenty, as a number of groups cite a range of reasons for making communities more walkable. The good news is Indiana is stepping up to become a leader in the conversation, and in the movement to make walking a bigger part of our lives.
Certainly, walking is nothing new – humans have been doing it for more than 4 million years. However, in the years following World War II, we effectively engineered walking out of communities, putting the emphasis on using cars to get from one place to another.
In the last decade or so, though, the pendulum has begun to swing in the other direction, as more people have consistently promoted the benefits of increased walkability.
One obvious reason for promoting walking is health. The most accessible form of exercise and most popular form of physical activity, walking is an obvious weapon in the fight against obesity and other chronic health problems related to sedentary lifestyles.
Economics also come into play. Walkable communities tend to be economically successful, and hold higher real estate values (values that fared better during the recent downturn and rebounded faster). In addition, pedestrians are more likely to stop and shop than people in cars. On the flip side, walkable communities can reduce household expenses and lead to families owning fewer or no cars, increasing the affordability of desirable neighborhoods.
Walking affects education, too. Studies have shown kids who walk to school show up more prepared to learn and more able to focus. Kids that walk more in general are shown to be healthier, and walking with kids allows for more quality time and more opportunities to teach them about safety, independence, and the value of being outdoors.
Finally, walking affects quality of life. People value living in neighborhoods where they can actually walk to destinations – the store, a park, the library, their jobs, and more. They see such neighborhoods as safer, friendlier, healthier and better for their families.
Some of these points have been discussed for years, but they have received increased attention recently because more folks see the value of walking. Developers who once created neighborhoods without sidewalks now make walkability a focal point of new communities … and retrofit old neighborhoods to be more walkable. Meanwhile, elected officials are responding with concrete action to residents’ calls for safe neighborhoods and increased walkability.
Younger generations today are driving much less than their counterparts 20 years ago and are flocking to walkable communities, and older generations are seeking the ability to “age in place” in safe and accessible communities. In fact, a recent study showed older adults place walkability as one of their top three concerns, alongside good schools and safe communities.
This confluence of interests, unlikely alliances and arguments for walkability have created a moment of rich opportunity. If we seize this moment, we can return walking to its former status as something that’s ingrained in our culture and our communities rather than something we have to ardently pursue.
While other states are only beginning to grasp the importance of walkability, some Indiana communities are forging ahead and engaging in the conversation, and they’re offering a great example for others to follow.
I encourage you to join the conversation. Learn more at Americawalks.org.
