Expert shuts down arguments against futuristic city planning: 'People are voting with their feet and their dollars'

An urbanist convincingly showed how the phrase "don't knock it till you try it" applies to walkable cities.

TikToker The Happy Urbanist (@jonjon.mp4) revealed how municipalities drag their feet when it comes to creating walkable areas instead of giving residents an opportunity to decide.

@jonjon.mp4 1. Try something that requires little to no permanent changes. 2. If it works, keep it going, and seek out finds to make it better. 3. Repeat. #urbanism #washingtondc #oldtownalexandria #walkable #pedestrian #transit ♬ original sound - The Happy Urbanist

The video is set in Alexandria, Virginia on King Street, and shows what the TikToker describes as a "pretty hopping place for 2:30pm on a Monday." There is impressive foot traffic on a weekday.

The Happy Urbanist explains choosing Alexandria as a counter to the idea they hear most often — cities can't create walkable spaces due to cost, saying, "we're not Norway."

The TikToker argues Alexandria isn't that unusual. Like many cities during the pandemic, they experimented with turning over car-centric infrastructure like parking spaces to restaurants and businesses. Unlike others, Alexandria made the change permanent and solidified it with steel bollards to block car traffic.

The TikToker concedes those are costly but has an easy counterpoint to anyone saying "aha." Alexandria just did a trial of a second walkable block of King Street with cheap, temporary barricades. They closed it down for the holiday and will reopen it to cars before making a decision.

The Happy Urbanist sums up a major problem: "So many cities make big, bold plans that they can't afford, that never get done. Or they cave to opposition that says no one will go there if there's nowhere to park."

"But Alexandria is exhibit A — people are voting with their feet with their dollars," the TikToker declares. "You can make cheap, incremental, experimental changes, and build on those, and choose to make permanent what works."

The TikToker further points out that while there are cosmetic changes that cost money, like flower beds, the street remains cracked concrete at its core. Just cracked concrete that is wildly more pleasant with children playing on it, the sound of music and not cars, and families walking through ample space.

How would you feel about a nuclear power plant being built near your home? I'd be excited 😀 I'd be scared 😨 I'd be angry 😠 I wouldn't care 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The Happy Urbanist concludes by asking: "How can you give the people what they want, unless they're able to experience something they might not know they want?"

Commenters on TikTok agreed wholeheartedly with the message.

One wrote: "Keep showing these examples. One day this will be the norm. People first.

Another added: "'Listen to the sound of music and people.' Such an important point. Cities aren't loud, cars are loud."

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