Walkability makes cities greener

With the urban population swelling the world over, it makes sense that we start - or go back to - creating cities for people too. People are a city's principal raison d'etre, so cities should be designed or redesigned to address one aspect that will make them greener - Walkability.

In mega cities such as Manila or Jakarta, it is crucial to have sustainable, well-planned, clean and affordable public transport.

However, it must be remembered that while making a city more walkable makes it more livable and attractive, it also needs sustainable public transport. But what is walkability?

Is a city's availability of sidewalks enough to say it is walkable? Does adding a few green spaces make it walkable? How about disability access and safety? Could a high-density city with good accessibility between home, retail and work areas by foot or public transport still be described as walkable if there remains a high incidence of pedestrians being hit by cars each day?

Travel and mobility should be a pleasant part of the landscape, rather than forcing pedestrians to traverse multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic. In Asia, many cities have paid little attention to the demand and availability of pedestrian facilities.

In the Philippines, while about two million people own private vehicles, the remaining 98 million who cannot afford cars or choose not to have one have no other choice but to walk, cycle or take public transport. Unfortunately, a lack of proper sidewalks is compounded by unsafe, inconvenient, crowded and unreliable public transportation. This lack of walkability hardly makes any city inclusive, green, livable or sustainable. A city designed with the human foot in mind is also designed with people's needs in mind.

Increased walkability helps improve resource responsibility, safety, physical fitness and social interaction. Such interaction leads to communities that are thriving, livable and sustainable, providing residents with safe transportation choices and improved quality of life.