Many Americans that live out in the suburbs have little practical use for walking since their cars take them everywhere. But, walking is a simple and effective way to exercise and lessen the likelihood of heart disease, diabetes, and premature death.
The Agenda reports that in an effort to improve civic health, city planners are trying to make neighborhoods more pedestrian-friendly.
New projects and policies across the country include safe paths for walking and biking, rezoning to allow businesses and homes to be built closer together, and reconfiguring suburban street plans.
Often times, people just aren’t interested in walking, so planners have to change behavior on a widespread level.
That means the redesigned built environments have to change people's minds, not just removing the excuses they have to drive, but encouraging them to think differently about how they get around in the long term.
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