How Zoning Thwarts America’s Pursuit of Walkable Cities

Americans love walkable environments and seek them out on vacation. So why don’t most of us live in them? European cities tend to be much easier to navigate on foot than American cities. They’re often designed to accommodate people rather than automobiles. Many American cities, on the other hand, are impossible to get around without the aid of a car. Part of this is down to chronology. Many American cities took their current shape after cars were widespread, whereas those old European city centers predate the car by centuries. But that’s not the whole story. Many cities effectively prohibit building walkable neighborhoods like those in Europe or older American cities like New York. That makes the demand for those few neighborhoods that much greater — and their rents that much more expensive. Some cities are catching up, though, and adjusting their rules to allow mixed, walkable environments. 📝 SCRIPT 📚 ADDITIONAL READING ✅ SOURCES AND MORE at https://kiteandkey.media/3TpZQGZ The world is complicated … but the explanations don’t have to be. ⚡ New videos every Wednesday. SUBSCRIBE to Kite & Key on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeKiteAndKey FOLLOW Kite & Key on your favorite social channel: https://www.facebook.com/kiteandkeymedia https://www.twitter.com/kiteandkeymedia https://www.instagram.com/kiteandkeymedia/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/kite-and-key-media/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kiteandkeymedia https://www.threads.net/@kiteandkeymedia