Creating fit communities

IF you liken the city to the human body, central business districts (CBDs) could be the heart while our parks or open spaces are its lungs. Traffic congestion in the CBDs needs more than a bypass surgery. Our “lungs,” on the other hand, are getting smaller as developments eat up many of our open spaces. It seems many of our cities need a significant lifestyle change as well if we want to live in healthier places.

One of the most important things to change in order to have fit communities is to encourage people to walk or bike. Our city’s current car-centric model affects more than our travel time. It also hinders us from a more active commute, and contributes to pollution that is already too much for the remaining trees the urban jungle can handle. To start off, we should look at how are streets and roads are designed. Pedestrians should be prioritized in the design by giving them 1/3 of the whole road for walking and biking. The rest of the road will be allotted for public transport and private vehicles, then trees and landscaping.