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Focus On Livable Communities:

Why People Don't Walk and What City Planners Can Do About It

"Changes in the community environment to promote physical activity may offer the most practical approach to prevent obesity or reduce its co-morbidities. Restoration of physical activity as part of a daily routine represents a critical goal."
 – Dr. Jeffrey Koplan and Dr. William Dietz, Centers for Disease Control

Many elements of conventional land use planning and design throw up barriers to walking. In many cases it's unpleasant and dangerous to try to walk from work to a restaurant, or from home to school. Not only does this force a reliance on the automobile for routine daily travel, it denies residents and workers the important health benefits of regular walking. In this fact sheet (PDF, 2 MB) photographs tell the story of common barriers to walking, and how more pedestrian-oriented design and infrastructure can remove the barriers and create more livable communities.

Why People Don't Walk and What City Planners Can Do About It (PDF, 2 MB).

A color hard copy can be requested by calling the Local Government Commission at 916-448-1198, or 1-800-290-8202.

This project is funded by the Physical Activity and Health Initiative, California Department of Health Services under a Preventive Health Services Block Grant from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Work performed as part of a UC San Francisco contract.

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