IN PRAISE OF THE HUMBLE SIDEWALK

GREAT BANG FOR OUR BUCK

As producer of Perils for Pedestrians Television, a safe walkability public affairs series that airs in 150 cities across the U.S., John Wetmore says sidewalks provide "clear economic benefits."

"When people walk more, they are healthier, and society will save on health care costs.

When people drive less, they spend less on gas and maintenance.

If living in a walkable neighborhood lets a family get by with one less car, the savings can be several thousand dollars a year," he says. 

"However, the biggest benefits from walkable neighborhoods have to do with the quality of life. 

Walking can play a big role in one's independence, which is fundamental to one's quality of life."

Wetmore cites initiatives like Safe Routes to School, which the new infrastructure law is expanding, as proof that a broad base of consumers supports safer, well-connected sidewalks. 

"The city needs to invest in the sidewalks, crosswalks, and other basic infrastructure that will make it not just possible to walk, but desirable to walk," he says.