Sidewalks used to be wider — same location in NYC in 1906 and 2013:
![modern and historic photos of a New York intersection demonstrating how much space used to be reserved for pedestrians](https://cdn.statically.io/img/tracydurnell.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/LexCropped.jpg)
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If We Want a Shift to Walking, We Need To Prioritize Dignity by Sean Hayford Oleary (Strong Towns)
Why does walking feel so intuitive when we’re in a city built before cars, yet as soon as we return home, walking feels like an unpleasant chore that immediately drives us into a car?
To determine whether a facility is dignified, I propose a simple test:
If you were driving past and saw a friend walking or rolling there, what would your first thought be:
“Oh, no, Henry’s car must have broken down! I better offer him a ride.”
“Oh, looks like Henry’s out for a walk! I should text him later.”
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Related-ish:
Overlooked 2.0 — Kickstarter for posters made of street cover rubbings by Marina Willer
See also:
Challenging the “rights” of cars for the rights of people
People will keep dying to cars until we decide their safety is more important than cars’ convenience
Paying attention to the design of our spaces