Are the sidewalks in your town
(or lack thereof) anti-pedestrian?

Safe sidewalks help climate-proof your personal financesWalking to your destinations around town can help you Climate-Proof Your Personal Finances. In fact, two-car households average savings of more than $10,000 a year by downsizing to one vehicle. Maybe you have every intention of walking as a primary mode of transportation, but what if your town is preventing you from using their sidewalks?

A Strong Towns article documents the ways Tulsa, for instance, appears to have built sidewalks for cars and not for people. Sidewalks cut through fast food drive-thrus. Enormous parking lots separate a sidewalk and a retail store. There’s a lack of sidewalk ramps at intersections – and sometimes no sidewalks at all. The article calls upon readers to post their own pictures of bad walkability on social media using the hashtag #PedestrianUnfriendly.  The results were eye-opening!

Take notice of your own town’s walkability. Every town handles requests for sidewalk installation differently. Begin by searching your town’s website or calling to find what steps to take for sidewalk installation or maintenance. Monitor new development in your area and consider lobbying your local government if walking conditions are not up to par. A little citizen pressure can go a long way.

Do you have similar infrastructure issues in your hometown? Lets see your #PedestrianUnfriendly photos!