New Tools for Making Walkable Places

Eleven ways to make a city more walkable.

1 minute read

February 8, 2018, 10:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Walkable Street

Marques / Shutterstock

The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) released a new "Pedestrians First: Tools for a Walkable City" report this week, to "facilitate the understanding and the measurement of the features that promote walkability in urban environments around the world at multiple levels."

A post on the ITDP explains more about the potential benefits of walkability as the world's population grows. "With a better global understanding of walkability, and more consistent and frequent measurement of the walkability of urban environments, decision-makers will be empowered to enact policies that create more walkable urban areas," according to the post.

The new walkability tool proposes 11 indicators for measuring walkability, which the source article and the report itself describe in much more detail:

  1. Walkways
  2. Crosswalks
  3. Visually Active Frontage
  4. Physically Permeable Frontage
  5. Shade and Shelter
  6. Small Blocks
  7. Prioritized Connectivity
  8. Complementary Uses
  9. Access to Local Services
  10. Driveway Density
  11. Roadway Area

Wednesday, February 7, 2018 in Institute for Transportation and Development Policy

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Blue and white Seattle Link light rail train exiting concrete Downtown Bellevue Tunnel in Bellevue, WA.

Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?

Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.

April 7, 2025 - Todd Litman

Silhouette of man holding on to back of bicycle ridden by woman with Eiffel Tower in background.

Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution

The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.

3 hours ago - Momentum Magazine

Multifamily housing under construction.

Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas

Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.

4 hours ago - San Francisco Chronicle

Western coyote looking at camera in grassy field.

San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes

San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.

5 hours ago - Fox 5