WHAT DEFINES WALKABILITY: WALKING BEHAVIOR CORRELATES (original) (raw)

At one point in time, cities grew as compact and vibrant entities focused on the downtown. In these close-knit environments, residents had the ability to walk or bicycle to destinations due to the fact that they lived in close proximity to where they worked and entertained. However, as development patterns slowly changed, cities began to sprawl outward causing an automobile dominated society that has lead to a number of negative effects, including traffic congestion and increased sedentary lifestyles.