Bethesda Row in Bethesda, MD, is a walkable area amidst a suburban community. Photo by ehpien via Flickr.
Suburbs around the country are reinventing themselves by adopting pedestrian-friendly streets and amenities, according to a new special report by CNBC. The growing demand for neighborhoods where people can walk to shops, restaurants, parks and schools is outpacing supply—but creating walkable communities goes beyond simply building sidewalks. Geoff Anderson, President and CEO of Smart Growth America spoke to CNBC about the new trend:
For most towns, building a walkable core requires at least two elements, starting with some sort of mix of businesses and housing located not too far apart: “You need that clustering to get the synergies that lead to economic growth,” said Geoff Anderson, president of Smart Growth America, a coalition that, among other things, works with communities to fight sprawl.