Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

The Importance of Child Care Within Walking Distance

In honor of International Walk to School Day,
we're going to look at a post from Minnesota's Twin Cities about what
you might call Wouldn't It Be Great If You Could Walk Your Kid to
Preschool Day.

Streetsblog Network member Net Density
makes the excellent point that for parents of preschool-age children,
having child care within a quarter-mile of their homes can be the
make-or-break factor in whether they choose an active commute (by foot,
bike, or transit).

After some impressive number-crunching,
the blog's author comes up with the conclusion that only between 13 and
16 percent of people in Minneapolis-St. Paul live within that distance
of adequate child care options. Which makes for a planning challenge:

2CCBlocks_300x231.jpgMost people don’t make housing decisions based on child careaccess, so depending on what you can afford, and where you want tolocate, good child care access may or may not be available in your area.

So as planners and policy makers trying to leverage the multiplebenefits of a non-auto commute (health, environmental, social), whatrole do we have in trying to improve this access? Or, in other words,how can we address this barrier and allow more people to get active? What tools can we use to do so?

Anyone out there want to step forward with some ideas? We're listening.

More from the network: Cincy Streetcar Blog
has an excellent photo essay that makes a case against Issue 9, an
anti-passenger rail initiative on the ballot in that city this fall. Bicycle Ambassadors demonstrates some justified pride about Philadelphia's bike commute numbers. And Portlandize takes on the question of who pays for bike infrastructure -- and auto infrastructure.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

July 2024 Metro Board Meeting: Ridership Up, Security Measures, LAX, and More

LAX station will open this November. Metro will expand security measures, from TAP-to-Exit to turnstile hardening. Plus more Metro action!

July 25, 2024

Covina to Begin Construction on Recreation Village

The new facility will be next to the Metrolink station and include a variety of opportunities for fitness and amusement

July 25, 2024

Incomplete Streets Part 2: in OC Caltrans Ignores Caltrans Policy on Bike and Pedestrian Needs

Caltrans has a policy requiring Complete Streets in its projects, but Caltrans Districts routinely ignore it

July 24, 2024
See all posts