Lancaster is known for being a very walkable city and residents have access to many amenities and facilities such as Central Market and numerous restaurants within easy reach. As mentioned in this 2012 LNP article, Lancaster City is one of the best places in Pennsylvania in terms of walkability.
Residents commonly mention that you can easily walk everywhere within the city. In a recent Residential Parking Permit survey, 64% of the respondents mentioned walking as one of the top ways they move around Lancaster City, coming second only to cars.
Becoming a walkable city didn’t happen overnight. The Lancaster City historic downtown area has good city “bones.” It is dense, as it was built for walking before cars appeared on the road. There is a long history of improvements to sidewalks, crosswalks and traffic calming measures.
Jeff Speck, the renowned author of the book Walkable City, conducted a downtown walkability analysis (PDF) of Lancaster in 2015. He concluded that small planning interventions can exert profound influence on the livability and vitality of downtown Lancaster and he envisioned a city that is useful, safe, comfortable and interesting.
I asked residents about their thoughts and experiences on walking in Lancaster City and what can be done to make it better.
Residents mentioned they do frequently walk to many places in Lancaster City and enjoy it. However, there were mixed reactions when it comes to the perception of pedestrian safety and there were many anecdotal experiences of collisions with cars, or near misses. “The streets need to be much safer for pedestrians. I actually got hit by a car once walking.” Diana Martin said.
When asked whether cars stop for them when they want to cross the road, a clear majority indicated that this is not always the case. It often takes a while for cars to stop when they want to cross the road at crosswalks in the City. Miriam Ortega-Brown said “I usually try to wave at them and say get off your phone, people on the street, trying to get their attention”.
I found it interesting to learn that even in a very walkable city like Lancaster, that scores among the best in Pennsylvania, pedestrian safety should not be taken for granted.
Continued effort and awareness by both drivers and walkers is needed to maintain and ensure streets are safe for all. It enhances the quality of life in Lancaster.
Overall, I found that Lancaster City residents are resilient. Ethan Poetic mentioned that “it takes a community to make things better”. They agreed it is all about awareness: Slow down to save lives.
Bryant Heng is a Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellow studying how Lancaster City can make transportation better. Learn more here.
