Institutional and Organizational Barriers
Institutional and organizational barriers make walking more difficult by affecting decisions that influence the ease of walking. These include land use patterns that result in long trip distances, greater priority given to other modes (such as at intersections), and (often politically-driven) difficulty in justifying the cost of pedestrian facilities. Having a well-developed understanding of the benefits of providing walking facilities and the funding to support walking improvements and initiatives is a start to helping overcome institutional barriers. Also, educating decision-makers and officials about pedestrian needs and promoting walking programs are ways to address these barriers. Finally, having the plans and policies, and engineering guidelines in place to support a safe, accessible, and convenient walking environment will help to create more pedestrian-friendly communities.
