What Does Our Current Sidewalk Infrastructure Say About Us?

'When the public realm is vibrant, beautiful, and active, it is a demonstration that the local government values its citizens and their quality of life.  Alternatively, when the public realm is neglected, badly designed, or treated as an after through, it reflects poorly on the city, effectively sending a message that the government does not value its citizens or its visitors.  At the Design Trust, we believe that well-designed, beautiful public spaces have the power to restore a sense of dignity to our urban environment, enrich our civic life and foster a sense of ownership in local residents.'

- Megan Canning
Deputy Director
The Design Trust for Public Spaces
http://designtrust.org

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Downtown Nashville is flourishing (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/14/realestate/commercial/nashvilles-skyline-being-rebuilt-by-building-boom.html?_r=0) but what about the other highly valuable centers of Nashville?  I am arguing that we need a cohesive and well designed sidewalk plan to connect our city & we need to establish permanent funding in order to complete the task.  

In Green Hills:  A 'premiere' shopping destination

Can Nashville make public spaces like these a thing of the past?  Can we stop talking about building sidewalks and actually get to the work of it?  

There is a huge latent demand for real walkability:  sidewalks that connect to destinations, are highly functional, safe, and have beautiful design.  

Please let your elected officials know your thoughts or share this post!  The more people who care about walkability in Nashville, the better.