ADDING SIDEWALKS

Goal

Adding sidewalks throughout a neighborhood, downtown, or community provides a safe and equitable way to get from place to place without being in the direct line of traffic.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Sidewalks help to create a safe path for people to walk along that keeps them separated from motorized traffic. Around 4,500 pedestrians are killed in traffic crashes with motor vehicles a year in the United States. Of these, eight percent are caused from pedestrians walking along the roadway and can be prevented. By providing sidewalks or walkways that are separated from the travel lanes, these fatalities could be reduced by 88 percent. Roadways without sidewalks are more than twice as likely to have pedestrian crashes than at sites with sidewalks on both sides of the street. Creating sidewalks also allows for pedestrians to be comfortable while out walking along a street. By removing pedestrians from the travel lanes, traffic flow is increased.

Sidewalks can increase the health of a community. Pedestrians will start to feel like their needs are being met along a roadway, and potentially begin to encourage more people to get out and walk from place to place. People often will begin to use sidewalks when they are provided, and it serves as a source of exercise which helps aid in increased physical and mental wellbeing. Sidewalks paired with public transit also increases the transportation options a person can use; especially if a car is not available.