News Updates

CMAP data can help communities close sidewalk gaps, improve walkability

CMAP engaged thousands of residents in the ON TO 2050 planning process and people throughout the region expressed a strong desire for more walkable communities. Walkable communities have a variety of services, amenities, and transportation options safely accessible on foot. Such places exist throughout the region, from suburban downtowns and small-town main streets to urban neighborhoods.

To be truly walkable, beyond sidewalks and infrastructure, a community must have destinations people want to visit. Some of the destinations that pedestrians should be able to comfortably access on foot include grocery stores, schools, parks, and places where people gather, such as restaurants, civic buildings, and places of worship.

When a large number of destinations are close to one another and arranged so that residents and visitors can comfortably and safely access them on foot, walking becomes a much more desirable mode of transportation. When these destinations are close to where people live, it becomes convenient to walk to perform basic errands, access everyday goods and services, and engage in community life.

This policy brief looks at communities across the region to assess areas where population density, existing amenities, and access to transit indicate opportunity to improve and invest in sidewalk infrastructure. Taking into account the needs and character of individual communities, planners and community members can use this data to optimize commercial development, close gaps in trails and multi-use paths, and make transit more accessible, among other uses. This is the second analysis of CMAP’s new sidewalk inventory, the first policy brief examined improving sidewalk coverage near transit.

Key takeaways

• CMAP developed an innovative dataset on regional sidewalks that is available to download and explore. The dataset stemmed from ON TO 2050 public outreach where residents across the region expressed a desire for more walkable communities.
• Sidewalk coverage varies by age of community, density and the adjacent transportation network.
• In areas of the region identified as highly walkable, the best opportunities to close sidewalk network gaps exist in west Cook County and north Cook County along the border with Chicago.
• In areas of the region identified as moderately walkable, the best opportunities to create initial sidewalk networks are near suburban municipal boundaries, with a high concentration in south suburban Cook County.