Thu, 29 Oct 2020 15:19:56 GMT
 | Sidewalks have a crucial role to play in the community. Sadly, not many people recognize the benefits of sidewalks in cities and neighborhoods. Want to know how sidewalks benefit a community? In this post, we’ll discuss how sidewalks add value to the community. |
Sidewalks are among the best investments’ property owners can make besides security. They provide a safer surface for walking. This is unlike the alternative, which is walking on the streets.
Research shows that communities with sidewalks have a walk score of 80 out of 100. In fact, such properties have a 54% value compared to properties in a community with a walk score of 20 or less.
Some of the most walkable cities in the US are New York, Boston, and San Francisco. According to a 2017 Walk score ranking, New York has a walk score of 89.5, Boston has a score of 80.2, while San Francisco has a score of 86.4.
Realtors and developers are seeing a trend where people desire to work, live, and play in communities with sidewalks. As such, they now focus on constructing multi-family homes, high rises, and condominiums with sidewalks.
Due to this, cities are experiencing an increase in property sales.
Promotes Fitness
Sidewalks promote health and wellness. Research shows that people who walk for at least 30 minutes a day can burn 300 calories. In doing so, they reduce the risk of obesity and other lifestyle diseases by 4.8%.
Besides reducing the risk of obesity, walking lowers the risk of other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. You can walk to and from the workplace and avoid the long car rides promoting better mental health.
A healthy you is a happy and productive person. If everyone in the community walks for at least 30 minutes a day, it’ll be a happier place. Studies show that people who live in communities with sidewalks are 47% more active.
Communities with sidewalks are beneficial to businesses. This is because they direct flow to local retailers and stores. Research shows that businesses that are more accessible by sidewalks earn higher profits.
The reason for this is that customers spend more on their products and services. In fact, they spend more than 65% on products, unlike when they gas their cars and drive to the store. To ensure the proper flow of customers, sidewalks must be well designed.
A well-designed sidewalk should have a width of 8 to 12 feet for a downtown setting and a 5 to 7-foot expanse in a residential area. This size ensures that the sidewalk can handle foot traffic. It’s also able to host features such as benches, bus stops, and café seating.
Increases Your Property Value
Properties in a community with sidewalks have a higher value. This is because the sidewalks add curb appeal and conjure positive connotations such as safety.
Over 5977 pedestrians died in motor vehicle accidents in 2017 in the US. Of these, 8% occur as pedestrians walk next to the road instead of on a sidewalk.
Having sidewalks from a neighborhood to the local school and stores prevents such deaths. Sidewalks offer safety from the traffic on the road. In addition to safety, sidewalks promote close relationships among community members.
Sidewalks have positive health benefits. Walking or jogging on a sidewalk will help with weight loss and promote health and wellness. Sidewalks promote safety as they provide a safe area for community members to walk on. Besides safety, community members can save money as they don’t have to gas their vehicles.
By doing so, they reduce the amount of car travel by more than 40%. This limits air pollution and the amount of carbon emissions released in the air. You ought to know that certain sidewalks are better than others. To handle foot traffic and features such as benches, the sidewalk must be wide enough
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Poorly designed sidewalks can discourage community members from using it. Textures and rough sidewalks are suitable for slow, leisurely walks, while smooth sidewalks are ideal for running. Are you searching for professional technicians for your concrete sidewalk project? San Rafael Concrete is here for you.
As construction kings, we specialize in concrete driveways, concrete sidewalks, and fixing concrete curbs. Call us today at (628) 204-3030 for a free quote.