Dougherty Arts Center
Austin Is a Car and Shopping-Mall City
RECEIVED Tue., Oct. 2, 2007
Dear Editor,
I read in the Chronicle that the Domain will be a “pedestrian-friendly” environment that people in the central city can't reach on foot or bicycle [“The Making of Downtown North,” News, Sept. 28]. (But there are 13 entrances for cars!) With all the hype and public money being devoted to this project, why is accessibility by people on foot considered so very unimportant?
A walking city is not a city where people drive, or even take a train, to special spots, walk around, then drive home. That's what we have now – a car and shopping-mall city. The most important thing that could happen to transportation in Austin would be the connecting of various parts of the city for pedestrians. This should be step No. 1.
People do walk in Austin, recreationally. Most people don't walk for transportation, because they're afraid of the cars and don't like being treated like second-class citizens. But if Austin seriously set to work to connect the city for pedestrians, this would change. More people would walk and bicycle for transportation. As a side benefit, the city could evacuate in an emergency.
The “island” approach – design little islands, unreachable on foot, where people can walk short distances in a limited area – isn't going to change much. Let's connect the city for pedestrians.
I read in the Chronicle that the Domain will be a “pedestrian-friendly” environment that people in the central city can't reach on foot or bicycle [“The Making of Downtown North,” News, Sept. 28]. (But there are 13 entrances for cars!) With all the hype and public money being devoted to this project, why is accessibility by people on foot considered so very unimportant?
A walking city is not a city where people drive, or even take a train, to special spots, walk around, then drive home. That's what we have now – a car and shopping-mall city. The most important thing that could happen to transportation in Austin would be the connecting of various parts of the city for pedestrians. This should be step No. 1.
People do walk in Austin, recreationally. Most people don't walk for transportation, because they're afraid of the cars and don't like being treated like second-class citizens. But if Austin seriously set to work to connect the city for pedestrians, this would change. More people would walk and bicycle for transportation. As a side benefit, the city could evacuate in an emergency.
The “island” approach – design little islands, unreachable on foot, where people can walk short distances in a limited area – isn't going to change much. Let's connect the city for pedestrians.
Yours truly,
Amy Babich
Amy Babich
