Since our move to Albuquerque a month ago, we have been making it a habit to walk more, rather than driving our car. We were lucky enough to find a house in a great section of the city, which is very central and close to Nob Hill (a great area with shopping and restaurants) and UNM. I will be starting graduate school at the university in the Fall and will be able to walk or bike to school, which will be great. In the past, I’ve had commute times of an hour each way, which gets old after a while and definitely does not help reduce my carbon footprint.
It is really quite a different world when on foot, rather than in the car. You can really take in more of your surroundings. Neighborhoods and buildings look completely different when you can take the time to really notice them. Though I have enjoyed our reduced dependence on driving, I’ve become more aware of just how much our society is vehicle based. For example, the sidewalks on our street are narrow – you can only walk single file. It’s a very busy road as well, so you feel close to the traffic. Plus, you have to be extra careful at intersections, as not all drivers are on the lookout for pedestrians.
Wouldn’t it be great if we can design more neighborhoods with wide, mixed use paths? Rather than focusing on cars – design around pedestrians and bicyclers. That is actually the idea around New Urbanism – a more sustainable method of development.
Today, while walking up to the grocery store, I only saw one other pedestrian during my trip. It was a really nice day – sunny, not too hot, however I found it interesting that I was basically the only person on foot. Cars, on the other hand, were plentiful. I’m sure hundreds, if not more, passed by on my way there and back.
If you have the chance, I whole-heartedly recommend taking more trips by foot. If you have a restaurant nearby, take the time to walk and enjoy the sights along the way. You may be surprised by how different the world looks outside the doors of your car.
