Connections
Interconnect pedestrian destinations such as parks, trail systems, transit stations, bus stops, and entertainment.
The logical extension of improving utilitarian and tourist pedestrian areas is to link them with other areas that receive intense recreational pedestrian use, such as parks, canals, and natural areas. The linkages should incorporate the same concern for pedestrian safety and comfort as a pedestrian area. While the region has taken tremendous strides to create pedestrian connections within and between communities, linkages between pedestrian areas in the MAG region need to continue to be strengthened.
There are many opportunities to create linkages where none are planned or currently exist. Many communities now require 'back doors' between subdividions and commercial areas that are open during the daytime. This reduces the walk time to service retail uses for nearby residents. Communities are also providing 'pass-throughs' between cul de sacs, perimeter fencing and arterial and collector streets, and adjacent commercial land uses which also encourage walking by reducing trip length.
Plan land use according to the 10-minute (0.25 mile/0.4 km) walk rule.
The 10-minute walk rule is based on research that states most pedestrians will walk up to ten minutes to reach a destination. Ten minutes equates to a one-third to one-half mile walk. In this region, most commercial developments are located at arterial intersections which are spaced one mile apart. Since not all services generally required by the consumer are located in one retail center, it is necessary to fill some service needs at one retail center and then drive to the next to find another service. The development of a compact walking-scale district that is guided by the ten minute walk rule could encourage walking more than providing large, single-use retail developments at the fringes of the community.
Recognizing the 10-minute walk rule provides a framework for planning pedestrian areas. Shopping areas where walking is desired should locate most, if not all, development within an area that is up to one-half mile wide. Combined parking areas could be located up to one-quarter mile apart as opposed to surrounding the buildings, enhancing the safety and quality of the pedestrian environment. Rear lot pass-throughs between residential areas and commercial uses should be provided to shorten the distance a pedestrian needs to walk from home to shopping. Openings in perimeter walls should be provided to reduce the walk between home and transit stops.
This concept is also appropriate for infill and redevelopment projects because it encourages a more compact and efficient use of existing land and infrastructure.
Another way to implement the 10-minute walk rule is through mixed use or new urbanist development. These developments recognize that people can live, work and play within a relatively compact environment. It uses the concept of 'stacking' land uses; for example, placing residential or office development over retail uses creates a sense of activity and excitement at the street level. New urbanist development is based on a charter that describes the variety of developments and factors it considers.21
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