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Community and Economic Development Toolbox: Pedestian-Friendly Cities Page 2 of 4 To slow down vehicles, cities can implement a number of • tactics. a) converting driving lanes to parallel parking,b) planting trees and other landscaping along the roadside, c) encouraging buildings to be constructed closer to the street rather than behind a parking lot; d) altering the road surface approaching pedestrian crossings and e) including more speedbumps and speedtables in the roadways. Make intersections easier to cross. Whether or not streets are easy to cross is a key factor in deciding to walk or to drive. Stop signs and traffic signals are certainly helpful, although the latter are usually aimed at moving automobiles, not pedestrians, efficiently. More effective are curb extensions, center medians, and mid-block crosswalks. Add new or widen existing sidewalks. People will seldom walk without sidewalks, even in low-traffic residential areas.Yet sidewalks are few and far between in most housing subdivisions and commercial areas built during the past few decades. Cities should require that sidewalks be included in all new development proposals. Furnish a clear pedestrian network. If people have a • clear network of sidewalks and pathways between their homes and other destinations such as downtown, schools, parks, shopping, recreation government offices and services, they will choose to walk more often. Sidewalks cannot exist in isolation or go nowhere,but rather must be connected well. This is especially true for the downtown area that can benefit by good pedestrian linkages to nearby neighborhoods. Provide pedestrian amenities.A number of amenities can make the experience of walking more interesting and enjoyable. Benches or ledges give people a place to rest,talk and people-watch, and should be distributed widely. Attractive, human-scale lighting helps provide a pleasant aesthetic and a sense of security. Trees, planters, hanging flower baskets, city banners, and brick pavement all make a pedestrian environment more attractive. Amend city ordinances. Single use zoning and lower densities often result in an unfriendly pedestrian environment. Amending the city ordinance to permit cluster developments and the close proximity of housing to other activities will encourage walking. Parking ratios should be reduced to prevent the predominance of large surface parking • lots. Surface parking lots also inhibit walking by spreading buildings farther apart. Where possible, parking should be encouraged behind or to the side of structures to bring the http://www.cardi.cornell.edu/cd toolbox_2/tools/ped_friendly cities.cfm 6/21/2002