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Bicycle / Pedestrian Resources – Walkable Communities
OVERVIEW • WALKABLE COMMUNITIES • REPORTS • DATABASE
The MPO conducts free Walkable Community Workshops to encourage and help the region´s communities to promote safe, accessible, and aesthetic walking environments. A workshop has two parts. The first is a presentation by MPO staff on good pedestrian design; local, regional, and national examples are cited. Participants then walk together through a local area (chosen by the community), identifying shortcomings, discussing possible strategies for resolving them, and envisioning other potential improvements. All members of the community, including elected officials, business owners, involved residents, and local professionals in the fields of planning, engineering, law enforcement, and education, are encouraged to participate.

Walking provides tremendous social, economic, environmental, and health benefits:
  • Borrowing from traditional New England settings, brand-new communities across the country incorporate elements that directly encourage pedestrian mobility and interaction. Increasingly, friendly walking environments are seen as the fabric of America´s social tapestry.
  • Local economies benefit from intense foot traffic, and storeowners and realtors are recognizing the value and low cost of fostering pedestrian patronage. Think about it—aren´t some of your favorite places characterized by traditional, walkable, vibrant New England downtowns?
  • Global-warming indices have hit record highs, yet Americans make fewer than 6 percent of daily trips on foot. About a quarter of all trips made in the United States are less than one mile in length, yet three quarters of those are made by automobile. Would you keep the car parked more often if your community supported a friendlier pedestrian environment?
  • The Surgeon General recommends engaging in 30 minutes of exercise at least five times a week, which can cut the risk of heart disease by as much as 40 percent. Frequent walking can provide the same benefit as aerobics, jogging, or other vigorous exercise.
If you think your community or neighborhood would be interested in hosting a workshop, please contact Cathy Buckley or Sean Pfalzer at (617) 973-7100 or walkable@bostonmpo.org.
Upcoming Walkable Community Workshops

Past Walkable Community Workshops

2010 Workshops: Needham, Bedford, Walpole, Wollaston and Natick

Workshops were held in 2009 in Chelsea, Hopkinton, Rockland, Stow, and Wayland. In previous years, staff gave workshops in Acton, Arlington, Bellingham, Belmont, Beverly, Bolton, Brookline, East Somerville, Framingham, Franklin, Hudson, Hull, Ipswich, Lexington, Malden, Maynard, Norwell, Rockport, Saugus, Scituate, Stoneham, Wellesley, Westwood, and Wrentham.

Please note that even if your community has hosted a workshop already, it can host another in a different neighborhood.