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Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time
AuthorJeff Speck
LanguageEnglish
SubjectUrban planning, New Urbanism, Sustainability
PublisherNorth Point Press
Publication date
November 13, 2012
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback)
Pages312
ISBN978-0865477728

Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time is a non-fiction book by city planner and urban designer Jeff Speck.[1] Published in 2012, the work argues that the walkability of a city is a factor in its economic performance, environmental impact, and the public health of its residents.[2] Speck, an advocate of New Urbanism, presents a framework for urban revitalization aimed at the automobile-dependent design of mid-sized American cities.[3] Since its release, the book has been used as a reference by planners and municipal officials.[4]

Background

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Speck authored the book following his work in urban design, which included ten years as the Director of Town Planning at Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company and four years as the Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts.[5][6] The book builds upon concepts presented in his earlier co-authored work, Suburban Nation (2000), shifting focus from suburban sprawl toward methods for restoring the cores of existing cities, such as Lowell, Massachusetts, and Grand Rapids, Michigan.[7][8][9]

The General Theory of Walkability

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The book's central premise is the "General Theory of Walkability," which posits that a walk must satisfy four conditions to be a viable alternative to driving.[10] Speck defines these conditions as:

  • Useful: Daily tasks and destinations are located within walking distance.
  • Safe: The street design protects pedestrians from vehicle traffic.
  • Comfortable: Buildings and landscapes provide a sense of enclosure or "outdoor rooms."
  • Interesting: The environment offers visual variety and human-scaled details.[2][3]

The Ten Steps of Walkability

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The text outlines ten specific policy or design changes intended to improve pedestrian environments:[1]

  1. Sell the City: Presenting walkability as a factor in economic competition.
  2. Mix the Uses: Promoting mixed-use development where housing and commercial services coexist.
  3. Get the Parking Right: Addressing parking subsidies and zoning requirements.
  4. Let Transit Work: Coordinating pedestrian infrastructure with public transport.
  5. Protect the Pedestrian: Using lane narrowing and street conversions to manage traffic.
  6. Welcome Bikes: Implementing bicycle infrastructure.
  7. Shape the Spaces: Using architecture to create a sense of enclosure.
  8. Plant Trees: Utilizing street canopies for psychological and environmental effects.
  9. Make Friendly and Unique Faces: Focusing on active street-level facades and architectural variety.
  10. Pick Your Winners: Prioritizing investments in areas with the highest potential for walkability.

Reception

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Walkable City has been cited for presenting urban planning concepts in language accessible to a general audience.[11] It has been referenced as an influence on car-free developments such as Tempe, Arizona.[12] Critics have noted its focus on civil engineering and design solutions.[7] Speck has discussed the book's themes in public forums, including TED presentations.[13]

Tenth Anniversary Edition

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An updated version was released in late 2022 to address developments in urbanism since the original publication.[3] This edition incorporates new sections on ride-sharing services, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban centers, and the integration of social equity into planning practices.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Walkable City," Macmillan Publishers, https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250857989/walkablecity/
  2. ^ a b "Book Review: Walkable City," Spacing, June 18, 2013, https://spacing.ca/national/2013/06/18/book-review-walkable-city-how-downtown-can-save-america-one-step-at-a-time/
  3. ^ a b c "Urban Planner Jeff Speck Revisits 'Walkable City' 10 Years Later," Bloomberg CityLab, December 5, 2022, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-12-05/urban-planner-jeff-speck-revisits-walkable-city-10-years-later
  4. ^ "The enduring relevance of Walkable City," Congress for the New Urbanism, December 20, 2022, https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2022/12/20/enduring-relevance-walkable-city
  5. ^ Popova, Maria, "The Pedestrian Is a Fragile Species," The Atlantic, November 15, 2012, https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/11/the-pedestrian-is-a-fragile-species/265270/
  6. ^ "About Jeff Speck," Speck & Dempsey, https://www.speckdempsey.com/
  7. ^ a b "Book Review: Walkable City," Project for Public Spaces, https://www.pps.org/article/book-review-walkable-city-how-downtown-can-save-america-one-step-at-a-time
  8. ^ "Walkable City: A Review," Ethics and Culture, 2022, https://www.ethicsandculture.com/blog/2022/walkable-city-a-review
  9. ^ Hendrickson, Dyke, "Waterfront West meeting set for tonight," The Daily News of Newburyport, June 5, 2017.
  10. ^ "Excerpt: 'Walkable City'," NPR, November 15, 2012, https://www.npr.org/2012/11/15/165238992/excerpt-walkable-city
  11. ^ "Our future depends on walkable communities," The News-Press, October 9, 2015.
  12. ^ "Culdesac: inside the first US car-free neighborhood built from scratch," The Guardian, October 11, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2023/oct/11/culdesac-car-free-neighborhood-tempe-arizona
  13. ^ Hallett, Vicky, "House hunting with Jeff Speck," The Washington Post, September 26, 2014.