How to Make America Walkable
42 Real Est. L.J. 512 (Spring 2014)
Touro Law Center Legal Studies Research Paper Series No. 15-17
17 Pages Posted: 1 Mar 2015 Last revised: 29 Apr 2015
Date Written: 2014
Abstract
A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors showed that 66% of Americans describe being “within an easy walk of other places” as a “very” or “somewhat” important factor in deciding where to live. But as urban planner Jeff Speck points out, many American cities and suburbs are “no-walking zones.” Streets are so wide that they seem “to take hours to walk across,” thus encouraging drivers to move so rapidly that a car/pedestrian collision is likely to be fatal. A pedestrian who survives this risky crossing often cannot easily reach other neighborhoods because of inadequate public transit. In Walkable City, Speck points out why walkability matters, and sets out a program for reform.
Note: 2014© Thomson Reuters. This article originally appeared in The Real Estate Law Journal, Volume 42 (Spring 2014). Reprinted here with permission of Thomson Reuters.
Keywords: land use, urban planning. walkable, walkability, sprawl, Jeff Speck, parking
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