Walkability

• Ways to Make Your Community More Walkable
• Checklist to Assess Your Community

Ways to Make Your Community More Walkable

• Use the Walkability Checklist to assess your neighborhood. (Spanish Version of Walkability Checklist)
• Identify issues that impede walkability, then take action.
• Share your findings with elected officials (for example, the mayor’s office or city council) and public services. Start with the department of public works, transportation, and police departments. Let them—and the media—know about specific trouble spots.
• Also, get out and fix what you can.

The following are some simple things you can do; urge family and friends to join your efforts:

Do it yourself.
• Select better, safer routes to walk if necessary. But that’s not enough!
• Trim hedges or trees that block sidewalks or the view at a crosswalk.
• Plant beautifying trees and flowers if you have property abutting sidewalks or trails.
• Organize a neighborhood clean-up day, or just take a bag and pick up trash on your normal walking routes. Always clear your sidewalk of snow or debris.
• Be a considerate driver. Set an example: drive at safe speeds in neighborhoods, let pedestrians cross at intersections, don’t stop in crosswalks.
• Correct safety issues. Notify the animal control officer of problem animals, and the police of suspicious activity. Report street or signal lights which are out to the department of public works.

Change your community.
• Speak up at governance and planning meetings. Demand bicycle and pedestrian friendly planning, engineering, and policies.

For detailed information:
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, 877-WALKBIKE; www.pedbikeinfo.org.
• National Center for Bicycling and Walking, 202-463-6622; www.bikewalk.org.
• The RWJF Active Living by Design Program: www.activelivingbydesign.org.

Build a trail.
• Learn how trails improve health: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/trails.htm
• Get a railroad right-of-way turned into a trail; contact the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy for assistance at 800-888-7747; 202-331-9696; www.railtrails.org.

Get Kids Walking to School.
• Hold a Walk to School Day event; www.walktoschool.org.
• Set up a walking school bus, where adults walk with children daily. Request the CDC’s “KidsWalk-to-School” booklet at 888-CDC-4NRG, or ccdinfo@cdc.gov.

Be a role model: walk somewhere every day. Encourage others by your actions. For a detailed resource list, and comprehensive information on starting or maintaining a walking program, take a look at “The Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness” by Mark Fenton (Lyons Press, 2001)