On Common Ground - Winter 2017: Walkable Neighborhoods

“Our density on the ocean front has increased, but the capacity of our streets really hasn’t followed suit,” said Myrtle Beach planner Kelly Mezzapelle. “We need to make the area more walkable so people don’t have to get in their cars and drive everywhere they want to go.” (For more on Myrtle Beach walkability improvements proposed to the city by the local REALTORS® association, see the story on page 58)

Indianapolis, Ind., has attracted international attention with its Cultural Trail, an eight-mile bike and pedestrian pathway linking six cultural districts in the city’s downtown area. The Cultural Trail connects museums, galleries, theaters, a growing restaurant scene, bars and other attractions.

Planners from U.S. cities and as far away as Cologne, Germany, have visited Indianapolis to see how the trail can serve as a model for similar projects in their communities. In 2015, Smart Growth America rated the Indianapolis Complete Streets Policy the best in the nation. Because of the Cultural Trail, the New York Times put Indianapolis on its list of 52 places to visit in 2015.

The Times said planners are flocking to Indianapolis “to see how the city most famous for a 500-mile car race managed to swap autos for bike lanes and still keep everything rolling smoothly.” Karen Haley, executive director of Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc., said the trail combines the latest and best facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians. She said the trail is wider than a typical sidewalk, shared by bikes and pedestrians, protected by curbs and separated from the street in places by a botanical garden. Haley said the trail cost $63 million, including $4 million for public art, all of which came from private donors or federal grants.

“No local tax dollars were spent to build the Cultural Trail,” she said.” ”It’s helped put Indianapolis on the map in terms of a city that’s getting it right when it comes to urban development and connectivity,” Haley said. “It really is allowing you to visit or work in our city without owning a vehicle.”