The Benefits Of Having Walkable Communities
Before moving to Florida, I lived in Montreal.
Located in Quebec, Montreal is known for its lively and walkable neighborhoods filled with densely packed businesses and entertainment.
That feature is common in European cities such as Barcelona, Paris or London.
In stark contrast, Miami and its suburbs feature an appalling dependency on cars.
Strolling through my neighborhood, it takes a considerable walk to find a grocery store and even more to stumble upon recreational areas such as parks or theaters.
On top of that, walking to these places is unpleasant and even dangerous because a high volume of cars in that area speed.
Miami’s wide roads and missing greenery, attract heat and generate noise and pollution that ruins communities.
Being forced to travel in a car, for even the smallest of errands, deprives us of the interaction and conviviality that comes from walkable neighborhoods.
Walkable areas also promote a safer and more interactive setting for children to play outside. For adults, being able to run quick errands on foot leads to more active and healthy communities.
Dense communities also benefit the environment.
By mixing residential and commercial spaces, we limit greenhouse emissions by reducing travel fuel demand. Additionally, emphasizing spaces for people allows for urban designs to feature more foliage, gardens and other plant life.
More importantly, neighborhoods that prioritize walking spaces create a tight-knit community that cultivates civic and political engagement.
When your neighbors and local businesses are a few steps away, people are bound to develop a sense of belonging that will make them more likely to fight for their communities interests.
Miami, which is facing one of the nation’s worst housing crises, should seek to develop more dense and walkable communities instead of continuing its suburban sprawl.
This can be done by redeveloping underused spaces, building more promenades like the one in Lincoln Road and offering citizens more public transportation options.
Not only will it reduce traffic, but it will create a healthier, more environmentally friendly city for the future.
