Opinion | Walkable communities shouldn’t be limited to college campuses

As a second-semester senior, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’ll miss the most about Pitt when I graduate. When talking to some of my friends who have graduated from Pitt already, I’ve noticed that, consistently, the biggest thing they miss the most about school is being able to walk to their friends’ houses. And the more I think about it, the more I see how important walkable communities are.

Picture this — the ability to access parks, schools, restaurants, stores, libraries, hospitals — all without cars. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Walkable communities are ideal in creating a society that’s healthier, more environmentally friendly and engaging. Long story short, they’re better for us and the planet, and they’re just overall more fun.

There’s a lot of discourse in the world regarding walkable communities — including some strange arguments against the existence of “15-minute cities” — and although some arguments against walkability are valid, there are also ways to make walkable communities more inclusive. 

But, there aren’t many walkable communities in the United States, besides college campuses and major cities. America is pretty individualistic and favors people with cars, which is not only bad for the environment and ugly, but also straight-up discriminatory toward people who rely on public transit — think racist bridge heights. Also, suburban and rural areas are typically car-dependent, and cities are often non-inclusive.

Thus, college is often the only time people live in walkable communities. Pittsburgh is a great example of a walkable community, as Smart Growth America, a non-profit that empowers communities and promotes livable areas, ranked it the ninth most walkable city in the U.S. Pitt is especially walkable. Part of the stereotypical college experience is having a campus — you know, playing Frisbee out on the quad and studying out on the lawn — and Pitt balances the city-to-campus ratio perfectly. I mean, minus a grocery store, I can access most amenities without getting into a car or taking the bus — though I do love public transportation.

So, for a lot of people, graduating college and leaving these walkable communities often means isolation — whether it’s by moving home for a bit while they figure out what to do with their life or moving out on their own for the first time. Without the sense of public belonging found in these communities, a loneliness emerges right out of college that no one really talks about.

The first year post-graduation is too often like freshman year, but without the pre-established connections, like living in a dorm with roommates or having classes together. Especially for those who work from home, it can be so easy for young professionals to feel isolated or depressed, even in a city they’re familiar with, if it’s an environment that isn’t conducive to walking.

As someone who doesn’t drive — and who also doesn’t really know how to make friends as an adult — I’m fully dependent on living in an area where I’m able to get around on my own and visit people I know, or even meet people in organic ways. It’s important for people to have the opportunity to get around and explore and make new friends and visit old ones without having to drive.

Not to mention, graduation means people are entering the “real world.” Some people are starting full-time jobs straight out of college, which means each person’s schedule is becoming busier, making it increasingly difficult to make plans with old friends. Distance and conflicting schedules mean that reaching out to the people you care about becomes increasingly tedious — it loses the spontaneity of being able to just walk to your friend’s house, like you could in college.

Some of my favorite memories from my time at Pitt were simply visiting my friends — without having to get in a vehicle. What stands out in particular is one blissful year in which my roommates and I lived directly across the street from our friends — three guys who never locked their front door. Our junior year was like a yearlong “Friends” episode, spent just wandering in and out of each other’s apartments.

Late nights spent playing games on the Switch or board games like Monopoly, wine nights or just simply popping over to borrow their vacuum — whatever it was, we could be there in two minutes and leave just as quickly. Sometimes we’d drop in during the mornings and see if they wanted to study or join in some mimosas, or we’d head over late in the day to play Mario Kart or watch a movie. Many a night, even during the week, was spent on their couch until the wee hours, when we’d finally trudge home — a whopping 20 feet away. No need to worry about walking home at night either, since all we had to do was cross the street.

These memories might be the little things, but they’re also things a lot of people can’t do as an adult, even if they had the time and availability. A lack of walkability takes away so much from your community, including the spontaneity of your relationships, and it can lead to a whole lot of exhaustion and isolation.

I mean, just think about how many times in college you’re able to see your friends each week, or even each day. I know that, personally, I’m able to see my friends more than I ever have — and probably will ever be able to again. We study together, grab lunch or dinner together, go for walks or sit outside, grab drinks and do trivia nights, or just hang out — all with our own two feet.

I’m from out of state, and the majority of my friends are locals. Try as I might to live in the moment, I’ve been thinking a lot about what will happen when my lease ends in August. When’s the next time I’ll be able to see my friends? Will we all have full-time jobs by then, or be too busy to make time for each other? I don’t know the answers to these questions — and I won’t lie, it’s freaking me out — but I do know walkable communities would solve a lot of my problems.

Living in a time post-COVID, a period characterized by social distancing and outdoor seating, not to mention an emphasis on mental health, you’d think we’d have learned to make our public spaces more inclusive and more walkable. But people still find problems with it all. I’m grateful to attend a school where I can walk to most places — I just don’t see why the rest of the country isn’t more like it.

Juliana Morello writes about whatever’s on her mind. Follow her on Instagram @juliana.morello or write to her at jcm160@pitt.edu