Why aren’t all neighborhoods ‘walkable’?

Chicago summer — People spend time as they take advantage of warm summer weather along Lake Michigan, Wednesday, June 9, 2021 in Montrose Beach in Chicago.

Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons

Why aren’t all neighborhoods ‘walkable’?

Is your neighborhood or town walkable? When we asked that question on Twitter, the majority of responders said yes. But even among them, they said there was room for improvement. And a recent report shows that the demand for walkable neighborhoods far outstrips the supply. That, combined with today’s housing crisis, emphasizes the need for more mixed-income and well-connected real estate. Reset digs into what makes communities walkable, who is left out when a neighborhood isn’t, and how urban planning could make it easier to get around by foot.

People spend time as they take advantage of warm summer weather along Lake Michigan, Wednesday, June 9, 2021 in Montrose Beach in Chicago.

Shafkat Anowar

By Meha Ahmad

Is your neighborhood or town walkable? When Reset asked that question on Twitter, most people said yes — with room for improvement. Plus, a recent report shows that the demand for walkable neighborhoods far outstrips the supply. That, combined with today’s housing crisis, emphasizes the need for more mixed-income and well-connected real estate.

Reset digs into what makes communities walkable, who is left out when a neighborhood isn’t, and how urban planning could make it easier to get around by foot.

GUESTS: Courtney Cobbs, co-founder of Better Streets Chicago

Sam Kling, a fellow and director of global cities research at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs

Jose Manuel Almanza, director of advocacy and movement building for Equiticity