Photo by iStockphoto.com/Meinzahn
When stay-at-home orders began rolling out across the country, one of the bright spots was that, in most cases, some form of outdoor exercise was still encouraged. In many places, people flocked to the trails, eager to experience the benefits of nature. But as those trails became crowded, it was difficult for their users to maintain at least six feet of physical distance between themselves. As a result, many trail systems and parks have now been closed.
Instead, people have been encouraged to get outside in their neighborhoods, a request that has only served to highlight the inequity of access to green space and walkability around the country, especially in large metropolitan areas. In response, officials in cities like San Francisco, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, and Oakland made the decision to open select streets to allow pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, and others to get outside safely. But residents of many other cities are still forced to dodge human and automotive traffic when they walk out their front door.
A growing movement is calling for more streets in more cities to open for people to safely recreate during the coronavirus pandemic. Here is what some Sierra Club volunteers and staff members had to say on the topic.
Ask your mayor to make room for walking, biking, and rolling during the COVID-19 pandemic!
Susana Reyes (volunteer co-lead for the Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All Campaign) lives in Los Angeles:
“I had mixed emotions when the “Safer At Home” order was issued. I have asthma and my condition makes me wary of venturing outdoors. Gardening and listening to an owl up my oak tree help ease the feeling of being confined and isolated.
“My childhood was all about the outdoors and feeling free and empowered to explore. I knew firsthand how a great hike can bring joy, serenity, and well-being. Now that I have grandkids, I want them to grow up loving the outdoors and benefitting from exploring nature as well.
“Dealing with COVID-19 is very stressful. Living in a major city adds to the fear and anxiety. While I love walking and getting to know more nooks and crannies around my neighborhood, I find sidewalks to be not particularly wide and accommodating. You have to walk faster or slower to avoid getting too close to others. There is simply not enough space to practice physical distancing safely. Pedestrianized streets will allow people to have more space for walking, biking, and running.
“While opening streets require safety measures, there are areas in the city which have already been identified as possible to open up with limited or no negative impacts. Look at the CicLAvia model -- it has already identified safe routes for its car-free bike days. You can’t complain about being exposed to pollution because something dramatic has happened to the air in our city. With fewer cars on the road, the levels of emissions have decreased significantly. I can breathe!”
Shawnté Salabert (outings leader and volunteer co-lead for the Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All Campaign) lives in Los Angeles:
“One of my favorite parts of living in Los Angeles is being able to hike and trail run in Griffith Park, one of the largest city parks in the country. It’s usually how I start each morning, and it puts me in a wonderful head space for the rest of the day. The park’s trail system has been closed, however, for the better part of a month due to the coronavirus. At first, I attempted to transfer my daily exercise and mood boosting to the streets in my neighborhood, but I found that I had to dodge a fair amount of both human and vehicular traffic in order to move around, which didn’t feel terribly safe. Now, I walk through a neighborhood next to the park that is more lightly traveled.
"I fear, however, that I’ve taken my favorite park for granted -- or have taken access to parkland, in general, for granted. For many in Los Angeles, a city that is notorious for both its urban sprawl and its lack of public green space, it’s necessary to hop in the car or take public transportation to access parklands. And since we’re being asked to stay close to home, that means walking through our own neighborhoods, many of which not only feature plenty of traffic, but also lack trees and natural foliage. While blocking off city streets won’t necessarily green up our city, it will allow more of its residents to get outside and breathe the impressively clean air, move their bodies, and connect with whatever nearby nature -- a patch of grass next to the sidewalk, flowers in a neighbor’s front yard, the trill of birdsong in the air -- they are able to find to lift their spirits in these trying times.”
“In Minneapolis, it’s been exciting to be part of the international movement to close roads to cars and open them to people-powered transportation." -Becky Alper, Minneapolis
Randy Downs (operations manager) lives in Washington, D.C.:
“As communities across the world collectively pause, many of us, like myself, reflect on what’s important in our lives -- our health and our loved ones. And while we buy time to respond and find a cure, people have shown incredible compassion, bravery, and the willingness to protect those most vulnerable among us by staying at home, venturing outside safely, and volunteering.
"This is our new normal for the foreseeable future, and so, as a community leader in D.C., it’s my responsibility to think of what’s next. As we move from response to reopening and recovery, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to emerge stronger, healthier, more resilient, and more equitable than ever.”
Veena Dharmaraj (Conservation and Development program manager) lives in Boston:
“April is usually the time I start spending more time outdoors. I am motivated by the Boston Marathon and warmer weather to run outdoors more regularly and enjoy walks along the river. This April has been different. Social distancing on my favorite trail has been challenging, and even short walks around the neighborhood have been fraught with situations where the sidewalks are not broad enough to maintain six feet of distance from others.
"With physical distancing likely to be the norm for the foreseeable future, opening some streets or parking lanes -- especially in neighborhoods that have fewer parks and green spaces -- will help people walk and bike safely and reduce crowding. Such measures are needed now more than ever. Creating conditions where people can safely spend some time outdoors will help keep mind and body healthy. And it will be wonderful to see other people on the street and be able to wave to friends, all while maintaining the recommended six-foot distance.”
Becky Alper (a volunteer who helped lead recent local advocacy efforts) lives in Minneapolis:
“In Minneapolis, it’s been exciting to be part of the international movement to close roads to cars and open them to people-powered transportation. We live near the Mississippi River, which is flanked by a biking and walking trail and a parkway road. Getting outdoors during a pandemic has been a major stress relief as my husband and I work from home while taking care of our two young children and doing distance learning. It’s pretty much a daily activity to walk or bike along the river, looking for the bald eagles' nest high in a white pine, observing spring flowers, or simply people-watching.
"As the weather warmed and people began crowding the trails, and it hit me that we’re all going to be home for a long time, I put together an online petition to open the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board parkways for safe walking and biking. It has been thrilling to see the idea gain traction and then be realized!
"Closing streets to cars and opening them to people matters to me a lot because in the middle of this pandemic my six-year-old learned to ride a bike. The need for safe outdoor recreation is compounded by the fact that with less traffic, drivers are speeding and fatal crashes are on the rise. With gyms, schools, and playgrounds closed, #COVID19Streets, #OpenStreets, and #Parkways4People have taken on a whole new meaning for me and my family. We need to ask decision-makers to continue these positive changes even after the pandemic has subsided."