For Social Distancing, Sidewalk Design Falls Short

Narrow sidewalks and pathways mean that people cannot realistically stay far enough apart.

1 minute read

April 5, 2020, 9:00 AM PDT

By Camille Fink


Sidewalk

Free-Photos / Pixabay

"The recommendations to keep our space from other people during these crazy times are revealing the shortcomings in our dominant sidewalk and pathway design practices," writes Don Kostelec.

Social distancing is difficult, or even impossible, when minimum and functional widths of sidewalks and pathways are not sufficient to maintain six feet of space between people. "Have you tried that on a four-foot wide sidewalk that lacks a buffer from the street? What about on a sidewalk that has a railing or retaining wall on the back side of it? Have you attempted to keep your six-feet of space while passing someone on an 8-foot wide shared use pathway?" asks Kostelec.

Kostelec presents a series of examples of walkways that clearly privilege automobiles over pedestrians and highlights the issues with navigating these shared spaces during the pandemic.

Friday, March 27, 2020 in Kostelec Planning

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.