Walkability is a measure of how safe, healthy, convenient and pleasant an area is for walking. Having good walkability is important not only for the quality of life, but also for the environment to the extent that it reduces automobile use. However, it can vary greatly not only according to the city, region and country, but also often within different parts of a city or town.
There have always been locations with poor walkability due to, for example, swampy land, the existence of human and other predators, and steep slopes. One of the major goals of cities and towns was to improve walkability, which was accomplished by such means as paving streets and adding sidewalks, adding outdoor stairs on steep slopes, improving sanitation, eliminating predators and adding public transportation. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries cable cars, and later electric streetcars, replaced horsecars, with their unsanitary animal waste problem, and funiculars were built in many cities to eliminate the tedious climbing of hills. Likewise, internal combustion engine automobiles and trucks began replacing horse-drawn vehicles in the early 20th century, thereby further improving sanitation for pedestrians.
However, the introduction of internal combustion-powered vehicles turned out to be a double-edged sword with respect to both walkability and the quality of life in general. With their proliferation, particularly beginning in the 1920s, walkability began on a long-term downward trend virtually worldwide. This was a result of the increased difficulty and danger of crossing streets, air pollution, slower speeds for streetcars and buses due to increased traffic congestion, and destinations becoming more spread out and thus less convenient for walking.
Recently there has been much interest in improving walkability in cities because of a growing awareness of its importance for protecting both the environment and public health. Many of these efforts have been quite successful. One of the ways in which this is being accomplished is through the use of various means to restrict automobile usage, including increasing parking fees, raising gasoline taxes, implementing congestion pricing, closing streets to most vehicular traffic, restricting the construction of new parking, and improving alternative transportation.
Additional ways to improve walkability include restricting or reducing sprawl, adding more pedestrian amenities, reducing restrictive zoning, and reducing crime. Examples of amenities are benches and other street furniture, shade trees, restrooms, drinking fountains, sculptures and other artwork, parks, exercise facilities, and a variety of vendors of food and other items.