I’m working with a coalition in Sacramento, with a vision of building Complete Streets in the metro area. I believe in the organization’s mission for a number of reasons. Here’s one of them.
First – Complete Streets means safe streets for walkers, school children, bikers and even motorists. The actual design of a sidewalk and intersection can either encourage folks to be on the street, or to jump into their vehicle and drive to even the closest destination, maybe four or five blocks away. Those who advocate for Complete Streets, ask that the needs of all who use it be considered in equal portions.
If you’re a parent, you’re well-aware of this, but when I have to drive past a schoolyard during morning or afternoon hours – the bottleneck of vehicles is amazing. Not only does is create really poor air quality for the kids jumping in and out of cars, but it statistically improves the chances of an accident – or even worse, an injured child.
Imagine, if you will, a safe traffic area for students so walking and biking to school is actually preferable. And I mean preferable to the kids, in addition to the parents — by providing intersections that discourage vehicle traffic and encourage foot traffic. Lanes that allow bikes true right-of-way and cars are considered secondary. Kids that arrive from distant home locations where cycling or walking are not an option, can safely disembark from the car a few blocks away, because designers of surrounding walkways provided adequate safety measures for the walking commuter. So, I hope you get my drift…
But the add-on benefit is the additional exercise for your kid. There’s a myriad of electronic devices that can take over a kid’s life. Often the need for fresh air and exercise becomes an afterthought. One of the biggest issues facing school age children is obesity. Walking and cycling to school provides some exercise and encourages social interaction away from gadgets. When bike-riding kids get together, they find the fun in showing off, racing or (dare I sat it) flirting! It encourages more interaction with people and thereby building friendships and social networks.
I’ve just started working with Complete Streets, so I’ve got more to learn. So far, there seems to be some solid reasons to become an advocate. There’s an interesting article from the Brookings Institute: Sacramento’s Transit-Oriented Development Plan. Sacramento can lead the nation in being a walkable, transit-friendly community. But the infrastructure needs to be from the “ground up.” It’s not too late, but we must start now. Please share your thoughts and comments.
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