Cities Built for Walking
Three mid-sized cities quietly redesigned themselves around the pedestrian. The results are hard to argue with.
By Daniel Okoye · August 8, 2026
Urban planning rarely produces overnight results, which is why the last decade of pedestrian-first design has gone largely unremarked outside the field.
Smaller blocks, slower cars
The interventions were unglamorous: narrowed lanes, widened curbs, protected crossings, and a stubborn refusal to add parking. Within five years, retail vacancy fell and street-level injuries dropped sharply.
The lesson
The car did not have to be banished. It merely had to stop being the default.