‘People are happier in a walkable neighborhood’: the US community that banned cars - eviltoast

A new housing development outside Phoenix is looking towards European cities for inspiration and shutting out the cars. So far residents love it - The Guardian

  • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Check out some random Dutch suburbs. For example, a neighbourhood in what is generally regarded as a shit city: https://maps.app.goo.gl/UYSB2iLeEbvPea4G6

    No high rise construction, single family homes, 15 min walk from the supermarket (or 3 by bike), even less to a school (9 min walk if you make an effort to pick a bad spot), and hardly anyone lives by a big road and most places can be reached without ever crossing one.

    And this is a city that is generally regarded as crappy, soulless and awful to the point that it’s a meme. (Lelystad is the Almere of Flevoland ;) )

    • Franzia@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      1 year ago

      Omg I thought it was just gonna look like my town but with bike lanes. No, your worst city is really creative actually. This is so quiet and safe, contrary to anything I’ve ever seen in America.

      • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        Right, how about biking 3 minutes to the store? Make it 6 there and 2 back due to the height difference. Not every trip is 30+ minutes to work.

      • Gabu@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        São Paulo is pretty much as hilly as you can get, beset by mounts on all sides but one. People still bike, here.

          • Gabu@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            I’ll give you that, biking long distances is reserved for when you can bathe afterwards. Thankfully, you rarely need to bike long distances.

          • DarthBueller@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            1 year ago

            They’re coming down in price, many places offer subsidies to get one, and there are puncture-resistant tires that do wonders. That said, I also live too far from work to bike, because I can’t afford to live where I work.