Charlotte sucks at walking
The Story
Emma Baccellieri from the Charlotte Observer reported that Charlotte is among one of the worst cities for pedestrians according to several recent rankings.
The Facts
– Popular neighborhood site, Walk Score, rated Charlotte #105 out of 108 US cities in walkability.
– Study by Smart Growth America via AARP Bulletin rated Charlotte as the 10th worst city for pedestrians.
– Mecklenburg County had 159 pedestrian deaths from ’03 to ’12.
– $15 million bond was approved in our November election to make Charlotte more walkable/safer for pedestrians.
Quotes
“As former New Yorkers, my wife and I continue to be amazed at the ineptitude and attitude of all pedestrians in the south. ‘The pedestrian has the right of way’ is idyllic, but a fallacy. What fool in their right mind walks in front of a moving vehicle and expects it to yield the ‘right of way’?” charlotteobserver.com comment
I don’t feel safe on my bike either… Hope the future sees improvement… #CLT ranks among worst in US for walking http://t.co/OFh26jhzvJ
— Bill Farley (@FarleyWS) December 31, 2014
C5’s Take
We love walking. We’re bullish on cities that can plan correctly so that people can walk from where they live to restaurants, bars, etc. We believe in the walkability of neighborhoods like Elizabeth and Plaza Midwood. Yes, we need to improve.
Photo: John D Simmons / Charlotte Observer
This story was originally published January 2, 2015 at 1:00 AM with the headline "Charlotte sucks at walking."