Wellness

Meridian Avenue, between 71st and I-235, used to be two lanes. In 2007, parts of it had posted speed limits of 35 mph. Further north, the speed limit was 40, but the road was shaded on either side by large trees, which narrowed the field of vision and naturally encouraged drivers to drive more slowly.

Cities should understand that “schools belong in neighborhoods,” argues Speck, and “locate them to be walkable and resist the urge to consolidate them into large facilities.”

“Revert multilane one-ways to two-way for safety,” argues urban planner Jeff Speck in Walkability City Rules: 101 Steps to Making Better Places.[2] One-way, like First or Second, appears safe, Speck notes, because there are fewer chances for head-on collisions.

Bike Walk Wichita to launch Walkable Wednesdays, a new blog series exploring what makes a city truly walkable—and how Wichita can rise to the challenge.