Neighborhood Springfest. Photo by author.

Walkability’s Reign is Over

Outdoor community space is the new must-have

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Oh, how I once envied friends who lived within walking distance of the Decatur, Georgia town square. They could roll out of bed and walk to Java Monkey for their morning coffee. They could catch lunch at The Brick Store in the afternoon and watch a show at Eddie’s Attic in the evening. They could grab a train at the MARTA station and go anywhere in the city, drink up at the Square Pub and stagger their way home, pick up their groceries, go to the dentist, do their banking, all without starting their car.

That was before COVID. And while it’s still true that they can do all that, or most of it anyway, I don’t envy them anymore. Sitting hunched over my computer in a corner of the local coffee shop doesn’t call to me. I’ve grown quite fond of writing in bed.

And bellying up to a crowded bar has completely lost its charm. The Square Pub is gone in any case, along with several other iconic Decatur businesses and hot spots. And ride the train?

Please.

The religion of walkability

I wasn’t the only one who imagined myself happily flitting from shop to shop, venue to venue, event to event, if only I lived in a walkable neighborhood. It was a vision shared by prospective homebuyers across the U.S. Driven by our desire for a vibrant, accessible, and connected community, walkability became a real-estate god sometime in the late 1990s.

Those who could afford to tithe joined its church, attracted by high walkability scores. Walkable neighborhoods promised to save our souls by taking us out of our cars and putting us on sidewalks. “You could be happy,” its bike paths, parks, and co-ops seemed to say, “if only you lived here.”

That was the guiding narrative. But the reigning myth of walkable neighborhoods — that they provide superior “health, environmental, and economic benefits” — was only part of the story, as is true for every cult. I’m reminded of the Wizard of Oz, where a projected image starts to fall apart once we get a glimpse behind the curtain.

Behind the curtain of environmental benefits

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K M Brown

Retired psychotherapist who loves a good story. Author of From Fear to There: Becoming a Confident Traveler https://tinyurl.com/26uhya