Columbusites aren't walking as much
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There's been a staggering decline in people traversing the Columbus area by foot in the past few years, Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.
Why it matters: Walking is good for us.
- That's true on a personal level (thanks to all the health benefits) and in the global climate change sense (given that it's the OG form of zero-emissions travel).
The big picture: The annual number of average daily walking trips dropped a whopping 36% in the contiguous U.S. between 2019 and 2022, per a new StreetLight data report.
- Walking trips declined significantly in every metro and state analyzed over that period.
Zoom in: Columbus had 47% fewer trips in 2022, one of the biggest drops in the country.
How it works: StreetLight measures travel behavior based on anonymized data from mobile devices, vehicle GPS systems and more.
- For this analysis, one walking trip is any taken by foot of more than 250 meters (about 820 feet) from start to finish.
Between the lines: The pandemic had an "obvious impact," the analysis finds.
- The rise in remote work might be contributing to Americans' increasingly sedentary lifestyles.
- And another reason might be the ongoing downtown recovery story — a city with fewer restaurants and businesses open might give visitors less reason to walk around.
Meanwhile, warmer cities and those less dependent on car travel (like New York City) saw less of a change.
💠Tyler's thought bubble: Infrastructure might be another reason Americans aren't walking as much.
- Many neighborhoods were built for cars, not people — as I learned during my 15-mile walk down Broad Street in August.
- Some areas don't have sidewalks and busy intersections are dangerous to cross.
Threat level: Over 100 pedestrians were killed in Columbus traffic crashes between 2017-2021.
Of note: The Vision Zero Columbus initiative looks to improve signage and intersection safety to bring this number to zero.
- A separate proposal planned for the November 2024 ballot would raise funds for West Side infrastructure improvements, including new sidewalks and crosswalks.
The bottom line: You might not be in a walking mood this time of year, but warmer temperatures in Central Ohio this weekend should give you a reason to get outside.
Plus: The new year offers a perfect time to make a resolution to get in more steps.