Walkable streets are essential to creating a sustainable urban environment, but they’re also conducive to Agyeman’s 4 tenets of just sustainability. Walking in green, vibrant environments is proven to improve self esteem, and make us generally more healthy physically and mentally (Source). Aside from our personal benefits, walking and using less fuel is conducive to living within our ecosystem limits, and meeting the needs of current and future generations. Shifting our dependency away from fossil fuels is critical to having a future where everyone’s needs are met.
That being said, cities are beautiful marvels of art during the daytime, but at night they can quickly become places of danger. Its important that people feel safe walking the streets at all times of day. Lighting is critical; and the Bushnell Park lighting project was meant to improve the safety of the local park. If people don’t feel safe walking, then it’s very unlikely any “complete street” efforts will be successful. Safety must be a priority in order to reap potential future benefits.