Walk Audit Finds Blocked Streets, Overgrown Lots and Missing Sidewalks in City’s West End

Early in the morning on May 24th 2011 in the West End neighborhood more than 40 residents, planners, and advocates packed into a conference room on the second floor of the St. Louis ConnectCare public healthcare facility at 5535 Delmar Boulevard. Although the hour was early and the setting was somewhat dreary, there was a palpable sense of excitement in the room. Through the efforts of Housing and Community Solutions the West End neighborhood has been selected as a United States Environmental Protection Agency Building Blocks Neighborhood Grant dedicated to improving walkability. The grant enabled HCS, the Livable St. Louis Network, and Big Shark Bicycles to bring nationally renowned expert Dan Burden to the neighborhood for a physical audit on walkability.

Burden, named one of Time Magazine’s Six Most Important Civic Innovators in 2001, began the morning with a detailed presentation on the potentials of walkability. Showing examples from years of advocacy in distressed, rural, and urban communities, Burden emphasized that improving the walkability of neighborhoods reduces crime and increases home values. These assertions are beginning to be substantiated by research; a 2009 CEO’s for Cities report found that a one point increase in WalkScore results in an average $700-$3,000 increase in home value. Following the presentation, Burden asked attendees to write the three elements that they wanted for a successful neighborhood and post them on the wall. Keeping the prevalent issues of safety, interaction, and beauty in mind, participants donned florescent safety vests and assembled outside to begin the walk audit.