Comments on: From urban studies to economics

By: habladora

habladora — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:23:13 +0000

Great post!
I’d like to second what Kate said. I live on the border of two neighborhoods – if I walk in one direction, there are streetlights and crosswalks, and after walking a couple of blocks I come to schools, libraries and shops. In the other direction, I have to cross empty parking lots and dart across busy roads without crosswalks in order to arrive at any of the businesses if I go on foot. Although my husband feels comfortable walking alone in either direction, my movements are contained to the populated neighborhood – the one with well-lit sidewalks that attract more foot traffic.

By: Kate

Kate — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:16:45 +0000

Pedestrian-friendliness seems like it’s a women’s issue in more ways than just suburban isolation. In urban centres, the number of people on the streets can significantly impact a woman’s feelings of safety, particularly at night. Speaking from experience, the degree to which a woman finds her neighbourhood safe can have serious mental health implications. Shops and schools bring pedestrians (possible allies) and they also bring services–street lights, for example. No wonder rates of anxiety and depression (disorders more often experienced by women) tend to increase in areas where those services are neglected and foot traffic is rare.