Walkable City Rules

"I am a big fan of the phrase, 'walk before you run' and have applied it figuratively as a framework in business and government. In his influential practice, Jeff Speck applies it literally: places will never be truly great unless they are walkable, no matter what you layer on top, including technology. In this essential volume, Jeff lays out a comprehensive and interconnected set of 'Walkable City Rules' that, if followed by every city and town, would create a nation of happy citizens and superlative outcomes."--Gabe Klein, cofounder, CityFi and author of Start-Up City "Jeff Speck has written the book our cities need right now; a practical guide for building the great places of tomorrow. This is essential reading for anyone wanting to make their place better."--Charles Marohn, Founder and President, Strong Towns "Jeff Speck was the first to introduce me to the concept of a walkable city. With his help, Oklahoma City completely changed its outlook on the built environment and has now transformed itself into a completely different place. How we did it--and how you can do it, too--can be found in this important and compelling book."--Mick Cornett, Former Mayor of Oklahoma City and President of the US Conference of Mayors "Jeff Speck, more than any city planner I know, writes about walking in such a common-sense and useful way that he makes you crave a good walk. He not only defines what it is, he eloquently shows us how to achieve it. Another great read, one that gives any city the necessary tools to create a good walk."--Maurice Cox, Director, Planning & Development Department, City of Detroit "The book fairly explodes with practical and pragmatic ideas that civic communities, town planners, and especially the resident citizen should consider for the improvement and enhancement of their locale."-- "Seattle Book Review" "Walkable City Rules is worth reading even for those of us who will never set foot in a planner's office. Like Walkable City, this book explains how a variety of laws and rules frustrate the person who wishes to get from one place to another on foot. But to a much greater extent than most books about walkability, this book tells readers what can be done to improve upon the status quo."-- "Planetizen" "With Walkable City, Jeff Speck demonstrated that he is the most relevant writer and thinker of his generation on the subject of city planning. With his new book, Walkable City Rules, he establishes himself as the most helpful. There is no single document poised to have a greater positive impact on our communities and on the practice of urban planning than this comprehensive and engaging text."--Ron Bogle, President and CEO, The American Architectural Foundation "What a tour de force! The world needs this book so much right now. Walkable City Rules is sure to change the face of neighborhoods, towns, and cities around this country and beyond."--Sarah Susanka, architect and author of The Not So Big House series and The Not So Big Life "Jeff Speck is a total rock star to me. He is a great planner, but his real gift is empowering people to reshape their own communities. There is a huge wave of us out there saying, 'Yes, I DO want to make my town more livable, walkable, equal, and fun.' Walkable City Rules is THE super-user-friendly resource to help us spring into action, wherever we are."--Dar Williams, singer-songwriter and author of What I Found in a Thousand Towns "In Walkable City, Jeff Speck outlined the many compelling social, economic, and environmental benefits that come from designing our communities for people rather than cars. With Walkable City Rules, he translates those principles into a concrete plan of action. From zoning changes to public transit investments and road repurposing to saving existing small-scale fabric, this timely and necessary book offers clear, concise, and step-by-step i

Jeff Speck is a city planner and urban designer who, through writing, lectures, and built work, advocates internationally for more walkable cities. As Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts, he oversaw the Mayors' Institute on City Design and created the Governors' Institute on Community Design. Prior to joining the endowment, Speck spent ten years as Director of Town Planning at DPZ and Co., the principal firm behind the New Urbanism movement. He is author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time and the co-author of Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream as well as The Smart Growth Manual. Suburban Nation was called "the bible of urbanists," by the Wall Street Journal." The Christian Science Monitor called Walkable City "timely and important, a delightful, insightful, irreverent work," and "required reading." Jeff Speck's TED talks and other videos have been viewed more than three million times. With Walkable City Rules, he can be expected to cement his role as the most listened-to city planner in America.

Table of Contents Introduction: Making Change Now Sell Walkability Mix the Uses Make Housing Attainable Escape Automobilism Get the Parking Right Let Transit Work Start with Safety Optimize Your Driving Network Right-Size the Number of Lanes Right-Size the Lanes Invite Biking Park On-Street Dont Forget Geometry Fix Your Signals and Signs Make Great Sidewalks Make Comfortable Spaces Make Sticky Edges Do It Now