Why walkable Brevard? What's so important about making Brevard a walkable, pedestrian-friendly place?
safety
We need to be concerned about keeping our citizens safe. Florida is ranked the #1 State in the US for pedestrian deaths per capita. A lot of that has to do with the fact that our built environment is largely designed around the car and that we haven't put enough of an emphasis on pedestrian safety. We need to fix this.
health
Obesity is a rising problem in the US, largely due to our sedentary lifestyles. When we build walkable places we contribute to better health for the people who live there. Studies show a direct correlation to living in a walkable community and good health.
the environment
When we don't build things in a walkable manner we end up driving everywhere. Car dependency causes a lot of problems with our environment: high pollution, use of limited energy supplies, and the consumption of open land. If we improve the pedestrian-friendliness of our communities we are doing our part as good stewards of the planet.
why walkability?
economics
Walkable places boost the local economy. Everywhere walkability is improved local businesses flourish, jobs are created, and incomes go up in the surrounding area. The best-loved places in the world are places that were built for walking. Bringing more walkability to our county makes it a more desirable place to live, work, and vacation. More desirable places maintain their value better and a healthy cycle of reinvestment can occur. Creating more walkable places in Brevard will make all of our residents more prosperous!