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Benefits of Sidewalks in NYC

In a busy city like NYC, sidewalks play an important role in enhancing its urban infrastructure. They are more than pathways to walk on; they are dedicated spaces for walking. The presence of sidewalks in urban infrastructure plays  a crucial role in improving safety and accessibility for pedestrians. It promotes easy walking over vehicle usage for citizens.

Maintained sidewalks promote community engagement and healthy lifestyles. People are more likely to prefer walking over cars, which results in reduced pollution.

This blog is going to unfold the importance and benefits of sidewalks present in an area. Let’s begin to read them below!

Importance of Sidewalks

Sidewalks are as important to an urban structure as veins in a body. They provide a separate way to walk for pedestrians apart from roads. It has been observed that areas with maintained sidewalks face fewer accidents than areas with no sidewalks.

Their presence results in easy accessibility and safety for people living in an area. People are more likely to walk for medicines, cafes, parks, schools, and nearby places. It results in community engagement and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Safety

Walking on the road can be dangerous because exposure to vehicle traffic can result in injuries from road accidents. People abandon the idea of walking in areas without sidewalks due to safety concerns. Whether they are elderly citizens or school going children, both need safe and easily accessible paths to walk on. 
Sidewalks offer safety for pedestrians walking, as they offer a place to access nearby areas on their own without being dependent on vehicles. They become able to avoid road accidents and traffic. They also help in case of emergency by allowing people to leave the area without being hit by vehicles running on roads.

Promote Healthy Habits

When people prefer walking and don’t use vehicles for movement from one place to another, it results in a healthy lifestyle. Similarly, it has been observed in studies that sidewalks present in an area encourage children to cycling which also brings a positive sign for a healthy lifestyle.

Ultimately, sidewalks play an important role in promoting healthy habits and lifestyles.

Reduce Pollution

In NYC, sidewalks play an essential function in reducing pollution. In areas with sidewalks, people prefer to walk by themselves over using cars for moving. Parents, for instance, allow their kids to walk to school. They also explore nearby places without using vehicles. This results in less noise and cleaner air. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately results in reduced pollution.

Flexibility

Sidewalks not only serve as walkways to move from one place to another; instead, they function as relaxation places for pedestrians, such as outdoor dining, vendor stalls, strollers, walking, waiting stops, and even sitting and relaxing for a moment. It helps people to explore, sit, and move toward places without depending upon vehicles. Thus, sidewalks play a crucial role in offering flexibility for people in a bustling city like NYC.

Conclusion

Sidewalks are more than pathways, as they serve as the most important part of urban infrastructure by providing easy access, flexibility, and safety for pedestrians. They support reduced pollution and promote healthy lifestyles for people living in an area. It also promotes community interaction between individuals, which helps in maintaining mental well-being.