WALKABILITY & HEALTHY CITY-MAKING

We help communities reinvent streets, neighborhoods, towns and cities for people, not for cars.

Why Walkability is Important

We were made to walk. Walking is the oldest and most basic form of transportation. Today, we have engineered natural movement out of many streets and communities, where people walking, bicycling or using transit are an afterthought.

Walkability is a major component of livability, or the quality of life a place fosters. The built environment impacts health, well-being and happiness—either positively or negatively. Walkable communities are designed around the human, specifically the human foot, and are a reflection of the care, collaboration and forward-thinking of citizens and civic leaders to create equitable access to the places we live, go to work, school, shop and play.

We Help Communities ‘Get Back on Their Feet’

Led by Blue Zones Director of Innovation and Inspiration Dan Burden, a national expert in redesigning people-first cities, we help communities reinvent streets, neighborhoods and towns.

Our Method: A People-Centered Approach

Bike lanes

Blue Zones helps reinvent neighborhoods, streets, towns and cities by engaging a diverse group of professionals, elected leaders and community leaders to develop a game plan for first fixing the roads, then cultivating a more communal atmosphere surrounding each travel route, and ultimately adding to adjacent property values and overall economic growth.

Blue Zones supports communities on process—civic participation and decision-making go hand-in-hand—to build a shared vision and blueprint toward a healthier, resilient, prosperous human habitat; we don’t just plan and design, we help communities get breakthrough model projects on the ground, engaging a diverse group of professionals, elected leaders and communities leaders to develop a game plan for first fixing the roads, then cultivating a more communal atmosphere surrounding each travel route, and ultimately adding to adjacent property values and overall economic growth.

Contact us for more information about the Built Environment improvement work that Blue Zones does in communities around the world.

If you build a place for cars, it will be a gathering place for cars. If it’s for people, it will be a gathering place for people.

-Laura Hackathorn, Hamburg, NY Resident

“Here it is,” he said. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle…” His fire lit the fire in me. He’s an arsonist for getting people to get out of their cars and be a community again.

-Ron Smith, City Councilman of Lancaster, CA

Dan opened our eyes; It was a transformative way to see the public realm. Now we’re the guardians of that.

-Steve Sugg, City Manager of University Place, WA

“Thank you for being ready and available!  We’re very fortunate!  I can’t imagine anyone else leading this effort for us.”

-Christopher Beth Director, Parks, Recreation and Community Services, Redwood City, CA

Before & After

Select the project you would like to view from the thumbnails below, then click and drag the arrows to see before and after images for each project.

Muscatine, Iowa - Before & After

Albert Lea, Minnesota - Before & After

Redondo Beach, California - Before & After

Beach Cities, California - Before & Interim

Beach Cities, California - Interim & After

Get the Newsletter

Sign up for the BLUE ZONES® free weekly email where we bring you exclusive interviews, cutting-edge longevity news, and fresh tips for living better, longer.