Walkable Streets (Term Paper Sample)

“Walkable Street”
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Walkable Streets
Walkability is that measure of how a particular area is friendly to walking. It has health-wise, economic and environmental benefits. There are many factors that influence walkability which include land use patterns, building accessibility, traffic and conditions of the road, quality of the footpaths, other pedestrian rights of way. As a result, the presence of walkable streets is an important concept in sustainable urban design (Abley, 2005).
The other factors that affect walkability are: street connectivity; variety and frequency of the buildings; the presence or absence of entrances along the street frontages, proximity and orientation of buildings and homes to watch over the streets, street designs that work for most people; the major infrastructural factors include quality foot paths, buffers to traffic movement, traffic volume and speed, sun or shade in the appropriate seasons, street furniture, and conditions of the wind (Wright, 2011).
Walkable streets are actually shared spaces. They are actually designed for all types of people irrespective of being on foot, cars, on wheelchairs, or even bicycles. A walkable street actually makes you have the urge to step outside. This means that there are interesting things like trees, people, apartment buildings and homes as you move along. A walkable street is the one that does not make you feel like you are risking your life when crossing it. This is because it has sidewalks, lighting, curb ramps, benches, and signals that will all aid you while crossing it. In summary, a walkable street would lead to any destination that you want to go (Urban Ecology, 2011).Many communities are actually embracing the mobility of pedestrians as a substitute to reducing dependency on automobiles. This shift is attributed to the fact that dependency on automobiles is ecologically unsustainable because of increased pollution, and also reduced walking diminishes social interaction and mixing of populations (Pivo, Gary, & Fisher, 2010).
According to Hutarabat Lo (2009) he argues that there are several ways that can make a place walkable. Sidewalks should be erected where there are sidewalk gaps with priority being given to those areas that encourage walking like schools, stations of transit, stadiums, and around congested public areas. Moreover, certain obstructions like utility poles and posts can actually decrease the walkable width of the sidewalk. Proper lighting and maintenance of the side walk is to be sustained so as to reduce obstructions, encourage walking, and improve safety. In addition, another way of making the sidewalks safer is by implementing buffers because they absorb carbon dioxide from automobile emissions and also aiding in water drainage.
Making of crosswalks is safer and a key component to walkability. Curb extensions decrease the radii of corners of the curb at various intersections. Moreover, curb extensions calm the traffic and also decrease the distance pedestrians have to cross. While on the streets with parking, the curb extensions allow pedestrians to see the oncoming traffic better where they would otherwise be forced to walk into the street to see past the parked cars. The zebra crossings or striped crosswalks also provide safer avenues for crossing because they provide better visibility for both the pedestrians and drivers (Zehner, 2012).
Walkable streets in relationship with public transit
A walkable street must contain a relatively large number of friendly pedestrians. This is because many people are of the belief that the different physical street designs features are sufficient enough to create walkability. The best designed streets are actually not walkable if we walk in them. On the other hand, streets that are poorly designed are memorably walkable if it contains a large number of people. Very little is more enjoyable and attractive to humans than an inherently vibrant, festive place filled with blissful and sociable people (Nozzi, 2011). Whether driving, walking or riding a bike we all need to get where we are going safely. This is because there have been efforts by city officials and traffic engineers to value moving traffic over the moving pedestrians comfortably and safely.
According to Nozzi (2011) he asserts that cities should be designed and planned in such a way that it encourages the people to walk rather than using automobiles. The planners should be focused on the overall experience of the pedestrian when designing the character and layout of the urban street and infrastructure. The overall workability of the cities can actually be improved through development of car free areas. They can take numerous shapes depending on the cities’ context. The approaches could vary from calming the traffic of a single street to a totally car-free city. This is because the development of areas free of cars is easier to enforce than parking regulation or policing the whole area.
Walkable street design, the development of streets that are pedestrian friendly needs a serious consideration of a variety of factors early in the process of planning. Those areas that encourage people to walk more like schools, retail stores, and stadiums are to have proper design to enable movement. The major elements to be considered are; safety features like increased lighting, reduced speed of vehicles, effective and efficient traffic signals, and cross walks; efficient street network that allows for a greater route choice; convenient access to options to mass transit; installation of clear and direct signage; widening of the streets for the people instead of widening it for cars (Wright, 2012).
Activity center and mixed use of walkable street
For a street to be truly walkable, the destinations from the places of residence to places of shopping, work, school, and parks are to be in close proximity. It has been noted that the most useful way of reducing the walking distance is by aligning the side walks diagonally. Sine proximity promotes walking trips which in turn increases the volume of the pedestrians on the side walk, the number of activities being done also increase. The walkable street comprise of what Oldenberg referred to as “Third Places”. They are typically groceries, corner pubs, cash-points, post offices, or any other facility that the residents of the neighborhood run into each other and interactively chat. This builds friendships, neighborhood bonds, promotion of sociability, familiarity, and trust (Mehta, 2008).
According to Forsyth (2009) is of the opinion that the more essential ingredient for any street to be walkable in the urban areas is for the street to be lined with a collection of diverse, healthy, local establishments. Such an assemblage of various enterprises ensures that people who are strolling down the street is rewarded by fascinating cornupia of views, sounds, smells, and potentially satisfying purchases no matter how frequent the street is walked.
Active open space in relation walkable street
The Walkable streets need to undergo planning therefore, the design should incorporate creation of space for urban greenery like street trees, seating areas and shelter effectively accommodate the pedestrians. So as to create a more appealing environment for businesses, pedestrians, and drivers, there is need to take full advantage of the opportunities made available by rethinking parking like amenities of the pedestrians , whereby street corners with more sidewalk space, plantings , and seating, can be made into focal points that are necessary to bring back the pedestrians and street life. Besides, curb extensions at intersections create short crossing distances for pedestrians therefore; minimal wait times for the automobiles.
Walkable streets are embraced by many folks because the pedestrians fell more comfortable while walking because of the slower speeds of vehicles and the reduced number of the curb cuts. Moreover, businesses get more sales as a result of the increased passerby and the first –time walk-ins. Drivers can also get more exercise when walking (Kent, 2011).
Crime on walkable streets
Walkable streets should be designed in way that encourages safety to the pedestrians. Safety features like increased lighting systems and reduced vehicle speeds can reduce incidences of crime like abduction and mugging. With regard to improved safety, curb extensions make the pedestrians and sidewalks more visible to the drivers. This is because narrower lanes slow down vehicles thus reducing the risks to bicyclists and pedestrians. The replacement of parking lots with in-fill development activities removes the space that is seen as unsafe and makes it possible for any anonymous criminal behavior (Sandt, 2011).
Traffic on walkable streets
For the pedestrians to feel comfortable, retail establishments and streets that are along to be healthy, a walkable street should contain a relatively low speed motor vehicle travel. The most assuring way of providing such modest is by providing ample on-street parking which not only does it slows down cars, but is also a s...