Walkable Communities:
An Introduction

If you see people out walking in a community, it is usually a healthy
one. To encourage the development of more pedestrian-friendly
communities, SPC promotes Walkable Communities Workshops. SPC was one of only six Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to receive a Walkable Communities program grant from the Federal Highway Administration in 2001. Nationally recognized experts from the Walkable Communities, Inc., consulting group presented workshops in eight of our communities, reaching more than 150 community leaders. Now SPC staff offers these workshops to additional communities in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Walkable Communities Workshops in Southwestern Pennsylvania
The workshops are instrumental in identifying communities’ concerns and assessing opportunities and priorities. SPC utilizes this information and continues to support ongoing local efforts to improve
pedestrian conditions and a healthier human and natural environment. SPC staff can be called upon to present Walkable Communities Workshops on the model of the ones prepared for us. We now have the resources to offer this service to other communities. An example is the workshop conducted in 2002 in Greensburg, in the vicinity of Lynch Field.

Walkable Communities concepts help advance SPC’s primary goals by improving the attractiveness and accessibility of communities for pedestrians and bicyclists. These workshops also support SPC’s other efforts, including mitigating congestion, improving air quality, and positioning the region’s high quality of life as a competitive advantage. Walkable Communities concepts help revitalize neighborhood commercial areas, foster safety around schools, and support healthy, livable, walkable communities. In addition, they calm traffic, a technique that keeps traffic flowing but at a slower speed so that there is less impact on town centers. Traffic calming also encourages drivers to take notice of the community’s amenities. As well as encouraging healthy communities, walkability promotes healthy citizens. Walking is good exercise, and obesity prevention is an important public health concern.

For more information on the Walkable Communities program, contact SPC at (412) 391-5590 or comments@spcregion.org.

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