It was Jane Jacobs’ birthday, and a visit to New York would be my way of celebrating her legacy of walking. While on her streets, the city revealed to me its beauty, history, and countless scenes as I walked from her decades-long home neighborhood of Greenwich Village all the way to Brooklyn. I was surprised to learn how walkable it is.
According to American Community Survey’s data from 2018 to 2022, only 45% of New York City’s households own at least one car. And only a quarter of city workers drove their cars to work in 2023. No wonder in Manhattan I ran into a lot of pedestrians, who seemed to be going on their daily business.
As the streets are mostly flat, I found the city’s sidewalks wide and well used. Upon looking down I noticed some unusual metal doors. These cellar doors lead to the basement of the buildings. Different in design and color, they are fun to enjoy on a walk. Preceding actual sidewalks, these doors were heavily used back in late 19th and early 20th centuries, serving as entrances from the cobblestone streets for coal deliveries into the building’s vaults. Still used today for other supplies than coal, they and the 19th century architecture around the doors took me back in the history of the city.
Another observation of mine was jaywalking. True to the stereotypes, New Yorkers are busy and nobody wants to wait unnecessarily. The number of pedestrians crossing a street at a red light surprised me at first. In most of the places I’ve been to, jaywalking isn’t allowed. This year New York city officials decriminalized jaywalking, crossing against a traffic signal or outside a crosswalk.
As most of my destinations were fairly flat, I could walk further. I greatly enjoyed crossing the Brooklyn bridge. Just like my love of walking many Seattle bridges as they open up the fantastic views over the water (even with the sizable crowd of other walkers as we head towards Manhattan) this experience is still an all-time highlight in your sneakers. On a sunny day, one can immerse in a view of the cityscape over the shimmering water of the East River. In addition, one is fully safe from cars. The design of the bridge, which opened in 1883, divided levels for cars, bicycles and pedestrians. With the history of street cars, trains, and trolley all passing through, Brooklyn bridge is an impressive urban project, with about 30 000 pedestrians crossing it daily (https://brooklyn.org/article/7-odd-but-true-facts-about-the-brooklyn-bridge/).
With the daily temperatures reaching 70ºF and the sun getting more prominent, I started to look for some tree shades. Central Park was an excellent walking space. With the cozy old cobblestones around it, the park seemed like a well-preserved green oasis in the city. Among its designers is Frederick Law Olmstead, the father of the Olmstead brotherswho had designed parks in Seattle. Unlike the rest of New York, the park has a few hills. Looking at various types of rocks made me think of old times before the city was developed. Followed by the various statues and brick bridges, the scenery felt pleasantly nostalgic. Blooming trees by the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir at sunset created the tranquil atmosphere just steps away from hustle and bustle. With the protected bike lanes, the park is easy to stroll through at one’s own pace as a pedestrian.
The mixture of nature with urban landscapes makes the city enjoyable for all. I found my trip both pleasant and educational, as I learnt a lot about the history of the city. Just like Seattle might be sleepless, New York never sleeps, but both cities are surely fun to explore on foot.