Some smartass has penned an essay on walking to the train in Mount Pleasant. “I Walk Alone” appears on the southern Westchester community site GetinLoop.com.
I’ve seen suburbs where walking is part of people’s routines. Our Mamaroneck friends walk to the train station, Miller’s Toys and, more recently Molly Spillane’s. Pleasantville types have an art house theater, upscale restaurants and pubs within walking distance. Typically towns such as these were established before the almighty automobile took over, where sidewalks link neighborhoods to a train station and shops. Likely many of the residents are former city denizens, well versed in the ways of the pedestrian.
Not out by us. Hills are foreboding, sidewalks are almost non-existent, and so revered is the automobile that it’s not uncommon to see one parked in the middle of a front lawn, like a giant chrome bird feeder. To be sure, I do see dog-walkers and, in those narrow windows of flawless weather in fall and spring, people walking for the sake of walking—most of whom I’m fairly certain are being mandated to do so by their doctors. But, as we approach three years in Westchester, I can’t say I’ve seen another person from my neighborhood embark upon that mile schlep to the train.
Our NJ town is about to install sidewalks on our street. We live 7/10th mile from the train station.
It seems that government funding is available for access to train stations and other public transit. My wife attended an impromptu neighbor meeting (in our neighbor’s front yard) two weeks ago.
Most of the five neighbors in attendance don’t want new sidewalks, mostly because then they would need to shovel it. Ironic, for a shovel-ready stimulus.