Creating Walkable Communities: Understanding Trade-Offs

Prev Chronic Dis. 2018 Aug 30:15:E107. doi: 10.5888/pcd15.180123.

Abstract

Implementing community design strategies can offer benefits related to walkability; however, they may also come with trade-offs to other community needs and desires. We examined public sentiment for 2 trade-offs among 2014 SummerStyles survey respondents (n = 3,995). About 33% of adults reported strongly favoring safer street design even if driving is slower; only 19% reported strongly favoring community design with walkable destinations even if homes are closer together. Walking frequency was positively associated with strongly favoring trade-offs, while differences by other demographic characteristics depended on the trade-off. Addressing public sentiment for potential trade-offs may be important when promoting walkable design strategies.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Automobile Driving / psychology
  • Built Environment*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Residence Characteristics*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Walking / physiology
  • Walking / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult