the low-tech issueissue the low-tech
‘A RARE GEM’
Philadelphia has good walkability, but there’s plenty of room for improvement story by ben seal
F
or cassidy boulan, the pandemic was a time to walk. Stuck inside for so long, she stepped outside each day to find some fresh air and make her way through Philadelphia on foot. Her walks began near Washington Square, one of the five public squares designed as cornerstones of the city. She would then wend her way north to dip into some of the green spaces behind Independence Hall, admiring the architecture and the relative quiet she found there. By the time she looped back home, she had expe30 GR ID P H I L LY.CO M AUGUST 2023
rienced several of Philadelphia’s most cherished parks and gardens, along with key parts of its history, all in a matter of blocks. A few years later, she has maintained the routine. It reminds her that walkability is one of Philadelphia’s most charming traits. “I often think, where could I move where I would have the same level of convenience or ability to be carless — the ability to access so much,” says Boulan, associate manager of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Office of Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning. The city’s walkability,
she says, is “a rare gem, and I think there are lots of reasons to invest in it.” With its reliable grid, short blocks, narrow street crossings, dense development and flat topography, Philadelphia — or, at least, a significant portion of it — is in many ways an ideal city for walking. It regularly ranks in the top 10 American cities for Walk Score, as well as for the share of its residents who walk to work. As Boulan points out, a sprawling concrete purgatory like Phoenix couldn’t dream of accomplishing with its best efforts what Philadelphia takes for granted. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement. Construction regularly interrupts footpaths across the city. Illegally parked cars block intersections and wheelchair ramps. Insufficient sight lines and reckless drivers can make crossing the street feel hazardous. Aging infrastructure leads to cracked and crumbling sidewalks that create impositions, especially for those in wheelchairs. If Philadelphia wants to retain its reputaP HOTO G RAP HY BY CHRISTO P HE R BAKER EVENS