Literature review Walkable Streets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Literature review Walkable Streets - Essay Example 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 p opulations (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 dis tance 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 soci able people (Nozzi, 2011). Whether driving,