By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

In a city focused on motor vehicle accessibility, Gosia Kung’s Big Idea for 2013 is to create “walkable cities” that are as pedestrian friendly as they are car friendly. She hopes to turn city planning upside down by making the safety and ease of travel for pedestrians a first priority—followed by the same for bikes, then for public transportation, and finally, for cars—rather than the current approach which emphasizes the use of cars as the primary form of transportation.

Kung is the founder and executive director of Walk Denver, a nonprofit started at the end of 2011 to create and advocate for quality, walkable environments that foster healthy lifestyles and economic growth.

The problem

Denver neighborhoods are designed for automobile traffic, which is neither environmentally friendly nor safe for pedestrians and bicyclists. In addition to lessening the environmental harm caused by reliance on automobiles, Walk Denver aims to address the social, economic and safety concerns of Denver residents.

Among those most impacted are the elderly and the disabled who often rely on walking or public transportation. Without doctors’ offices, grocery stores and other necessities within walking distance, these populations are often forced to risk their safety by crossing busy streets and commuting in high traffic areas without sidewalks in order to reach public transportation. Those who choose not to take this chance often remain isolated in their homes, leading to further health problems.

Small businesses are also hard hit by the inability for pedestrians to easily reach them, according to Kung. Small businesses often struggle to supply enough parking to satisfy the demand, and consequently their businesses frequently suffer.

The solution

Advocating for and creating walkable cities can improve the health, safety and economy of the areas. While Gosia agrees that cars are a convenient and effective means of transportation that will not and should not disappear altogether, reducing the reliance on cars and providing the option for people to walk is embracing our bodies’ natural design as pedestrians.

In order to provide people with options, Walk Denver focuses on improving infrastructure, educating communities and advocating for change. Walk Denver is leading the charge on efforts to reclaim areas dominated by cars, such as the intersection of Colfax and Federal Boulevard, making areas such as these safer for pedestrians attempting to cross the busy streets to get to libraries and restaurants, especially for families with children, the elderly and the disabled.

Walk Denver works to engage the community through events like Better Block—which temporarily fills vacant stores and creates a pedestrian friendly cultural center to demonstrate how the city can empower residents to advocate for their own best interests. Walk Denver is a community advocate, working with the city on evaluations and speaking to the media to spread the word about the cause.

“The neighborhoods that are walkable are the ones that are successful,” says Kung. She argues that people don’t need a degree in planning to know and appreciate a walkable city when they see one and to work to break down barriers in their own communities.

All Walk Denver meetings are open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to join, as well as to sign up for Walk Denver’s newsletter to find out about the latest events and projects.

For more information on how you can get involved with Walk Denver, visit their website, or email Gosia Kung at gkung@kungarch.com.