Imagine you are in one of America's most walkable neighborhoods. You've spent the day strolling through lush urban parks and meandering in and out of the various shops in the area.
As the day progresses, your legs get significantly more tired than when you started the day. A short rest on a nearby bench sounds like a lovely way to give your legs some rest while watching people go about their days around you.
@dr.tpanova Why is this normalized? We can do better. #walkablecities #urbanplanning #urbanism #nyc #newyork #fyp ♬ Bibes - Rickert Ponce
The only problem: There is no seating to be found.
Urbanism expert Dr. T. Panova (@dr.tpanova) found themself in a similar situation while walking around New York City.
After discovering their shoe was untied, Dr. T. tried an experiment: See how far they would have to walk to find a place to sit so they could tie their shoe. Dr. T. decided to film the experiment and shared the now-viral results on TikTok.
As Dr. T. walked through the city, they filmed their path, showing the lack of convenient and comfortable seating options available to pedestrians. They also filmed the "sad seating alternatives" some pedestrians were forced to settle for.
Some sat on their own suitcases, others sat on the ground, some bought coffees and pastries at cafes to use their chairs and tables, and one person even opted to eat their lunch on a fire hydrant.
"That can't be comfortable," Dr. T. said as they filmed the man seated on the fire hydrant.
For a city to be considered walkable, it must have "well-connected, walkable neighborhoods," according to Foot Traffic Ahead, which rated New York City as the No. 1 most walkable metro area in its 2023 report.
However, for areas to be walkable, there should be more than just large sidewalks and a certain density of storefronts and activities. There must also be infrastructure that is conducive to a safe and comfortable environment for pedestrians.
For example, trees are an important feature of walkable areas because they provide comfortable shade on hot days and play a role in flood control by absorbing rainwater.
Benches or other free places to sit are another important aspect, especially for the young and elderly and those with disabilities. Seating provides both physical and social comfort, facilitating social interactions and activities, therefore increasing the amount of time spent outside in walkable areas.
In Dr. T.'s experiment, the amount of seating available to pedestrians was disappointingly low, and they gave up on their search for a convenient place to sit after walking two miles in a 40-block area.
"Why is this normalized?" Dr. T. asked about American infrastructure. "We can do better."
Users in the comments of the video agreed.
"There really should be more seating around the city," one comment read, which had thousands of likes from other users.
"I agree with this," wrote another person. "And bathrooms! You have to pay for literally everything."
"Hostile architecture," a third person commented.
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