3 Traits Shared by New York's Most Walkable Streets

Some streets are bound to attract more foot traffic than others simply based on where they’re located. Maybe there’s a metro stop nearby. Maybe they lead to a cluster of offices or businesses. Maybe a lot of people call these streets home. These streets draw loads of foot traffic regardless of their general appearance. We all have to live, work, and shop somewhere.

What’s less clear is how much certain physical elements of the street itself might appeal to pedestrians over and above these location-based qualities. Perhaps there’s a sidewalk profile of windows and awnings and benches that just speaks to our shoes. (You’re welcome for that tag line, future creators of Solemate.com.) In other words, can you design a street to be more walkable, and if so, which design elements might you include?