During my junior and senior years of college, I had seizures that left me unable to drive for 10 months. I relied heavily on rides when I lived off of campus. I was miserable and often felt stuck because there was nothing for me to do within walking distance. It greatly affected my mental health and wellbeing. A time of my life that was meant to be full of exploration and new beginnings, quickly began to feel like I was taking steps backwards in my personal growth. When hitching a ride from a friend’s brother that was kind enough to help me out, he brought up a concept I had not heard before; walkability. He was convinced that European cities that were walker- and bike-friendly had it right and that America was continuing to create cities that made it less and less feasible for its citizens to walk to complete basic tasks and create community. It made sense, but I did not realize how much I would connect and appreciate the idea of walkability until the next year.
When I moved onto campus for my senior year of college so that I could have more access to campus and resources, my mental health made a complete 180. I once again had access to things that felt simple but were my whole world at the time. My friends, the campus fitness center, my courses, and in short, my entire community, were all within a 20 minute walk from me. I did not feel left out because I did not have a vehicle, and I was able to appreciate the community around me and the city I lived in. This was the walkability I heard about, and I finally connected the dots on its importance.
So what is walkability and how is it measured? Walkability scores are based on things like distance to amenities, population density, and road metrics such as the length of blocks and how busy intersections are.
I grew up in a city that in theory should have good walkability. We have sidewalks, but on roads where the speed limit is 45-50 MPH. I call these “stroads”: a combination of streets – because they have a sidewalk, and roads, because they have multiple high speed lanes that have no barrier between the sidewalk and moving traffic. Often, “most modern, car-dependent suburbs are not places designed to encourage social interaction” (Leyden, 2003). There is a history of teenagers dying or being injured in automobile-pedestrian collisions in my hometown due to the way stroads are used to get in between neighborhoods, to gather with friends, and to get to convenience stores when cars are not accessible.
THIS is why walkability is important for young adults. We seek out community in our daily lives and walkable cities can enrich and enhance our lives. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, those of us who had our high school or college careers dampened by social distancing and quarantine are seeking ways to make up for our lost connections. Gen Zers crave in-person connections since for a chunk of our lives, our only options for connecting were over Zoom or FaceTime.
I have reflected on why some people consider college the best years of their lives. Aside from the newfound freedom and social aspects, I believe it is campus walkability. Think about it – if you are a traditional, residential student, you are somewhere that you can walk to anything you could need within 20 minutes (give or take, depending on the size of your campus). Your friends, your classes, an on campus job, your meals – whether they are in a dining hall or at a restaurant in communities adjacent to campus – all of these are literally a hop, skip, and jump away.
Additionally, walkability on college campuses enhances access to medical facilities, banking, and grocery/convenience stores or fresh markets. A study by the American Public Health Association stated that “that residents living in walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods are more likely to know their neighbors, to participate politically, to trust others, and to be involved socially” (Leyden, 2003). This ability to get to community resources and to have access to the things that you need is part of the value of walkability.
As I approach the end of my M.Ed. journey and engage in the job search, I am continuing to center walkability of the cities and campuses where I will be living and working. Walkability is important because as young professionals, it makes economic sense – less car usage, less money on gas, it is better for your physical health and for the health of the planet to commit to less carbon emissions and to commit to getting your steps in! While my interest in walkability started with a difficult time in my life when I didn’t have a lot of options to get around, it is now essential to how I want to live my life in the future, and how I am processing my journey in the job search.
Reflection Questions
- How can the walkability of college campuses support their goals of retention and belonging?
- How does walkability promote accessibility on campus for young professionals?
- How might we promote walkability as a campus or community amenity for students, staff, and faculty?
- How and why might you assess the walkability on your campus?
References
Leyden, K. M. (2003). Social Capital and the built environment: The importance of walkable neighborhoods. American Journal of Public Health, 93(9), 1546–1551. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.93.9.1546
Author Bio
Hali Sanders (she/her/hers) is a second-year graduate student in the Clemson Higher Education Student Affairs program. She is currently serving as the Graduate Assistant for Cooperative Education. She graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media Studies in 2023.