Walkable

In The New Urban Crisis, walkability is one of the “smaller things” that make cities great places to live and work in the new people-driven, place-based economy. The book argues that enduring urban success turns less on a competitive business climate and more on a great people climate — “making sure there were walkable, pedestrian-friendly streets, bike lanes, parks, exciting art and music scenes, and vibrant areas where people could gather in cafes and restaurants.” Walkability appears in Kyle’s City Building concept cluster for the book, alongside ideas like micro cities, the new city, and remote work — pedestrian-scale design as a precondition for the kind of dense, livable urban fabric that attracts individuals and families of all types.

Context: “Walkable” describes neighborhoods and streets designed so that daily destinations are reachable comfortably on foot — short blocks, mixed uses, pedestrian-priority streets. In urban planning it is a widely used proxy for livability, health, and economic vibrancy.

Where this appears

• The New Urban Crisis — walkable, pedestrian-friendly streets named among the things that make cities great in a people-driven, place-based economy.