Apr 1, 2006

WALKS POPULI

All types of walkers, from sport to recreational, may be interested to hear about political dimensions of walking. Things that happen “behind the scenes” so walkers can enjoy a safe environment are now more visible as walking becomes a health requirement and popular lifestyle choice. Dialog about what affects walkers in city and suburban areas--like sidewalks, traffic calming or aesthetics--involves planners, developers, elected officials and more.

The WalkIcon series continues with an excerpt from conversation with Dan Burden, Executive Director, Walkable Communities, Inc. (http://www.walkable.org). Burden and Walkable Communities provide governments and many other kinds of organizations with resources, training and consulting to increase walkability in their environment. To add your views about the ideas Burden shares, please click COMMENTS below.

Q: What is your definition of walking culture?

Dan Burden: Walking culture is a solid one composed of people who, true to our biological and anthropological roots, feel good about walking the planet. They love the art and act of walking and all they’re introduced to by it. When it comes to a culture, people walk because they know they’re bipeds and it’s what they’re designed to do.

Q: How visible is walking culture?

Dan Burden: In the U.S., as we’ve invented technology to boost efficiency, there wasn’t much thought about walking. For example, World War II GIs got good, inexpensive loans to buy homes in a program focused on economic growth, new housing and car-based transportation. It was a huge oversight that no one cared about walking, considered themselves a walker or realized that something was being taken from them.

Q: Are people more aware of walking today?

Dan Burden: People are beginning to realize what we’ve lost and are working to get it back. They may not label themselves walkers yet but walkability and livability have become benchmarks of success for any city.

Q: Will a sense of walking’s importance evolve naturally?

Dan Burden: Things are sparking it. I’ve been part of this movement for 30 years. My epiphany came in Australia in the 1980s when I realized I was passionate about walking. It was a discovery I had to make for myself, though. It’s happening slowly.

Q: Is walking a political issue?

Dan Burden: Architecture, transportation, land use and government are all involved in walking. We’ve created such a harsh environment for walking that we now have to pay much more attention to our streets. We have to make them pleasant places where we feel secure and happy again! There should be good block form, proper spacing of buildings, and we have to regain our sense of architecture, too. It’s no fun to walk by monolithic buildings with no articulation of detail. Our brains tell us “stay away from this” because there’s no reward. Our environment needs to be green and inviting.

:::

For more about walking issues, peruse these works from Dan Burden's recommended list:

Last Child In the Woods by Richard Louv, “an architect and journalist who says the way we’ve structured things robs kids of the ability to go places, have experiences and do things.”

The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs – “Jacobs says there are two kinds of people: those who love to walk and put up with being in a car when forced to –and- those who don’t like walking and cherish every moment spent in a car.”

Flight of the Creative Class by Richard Florida – “celebrates our societal changes and the errors we’re making along the way.”

Visual Credit: Dan Burden at http://pedbikeimages.org, a 2,500-image walk advocacy collection freely available for non-commercial, educational use. This Image Library is a team effort of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, Walkable Communties, Inc. and the Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian & Bicycle Council.

Technorati Tags