In the 1950’s a max exodus took place in US cities from downtown centers to outlying areas. Suburbia was born. Single family homes began to explode, creating sprawl. Accompanying this, and exacerbating it, were vast networks of highways and freeways connecting us to each other, and our jobs. This article is not about how suburbia and increased driving affected politics, the economy, equality, or even the environment, which are worth researching on their own, but instead about how it is affecting our quality of life.

As suburbs began to expand, mixed-use zoning regulations shrank, and homes were separated from work. This was great in one aspect, such that high-pollution factories could be quarantined. But as we move into a future with cleaner technologies, and increased environmental regulations, it’s beginning to make less sense to keep the home and workplace separated by miles of roads.

The separation of commercial and residential has led to increased driving. Driving to work. Driving to restaurants. Driving to the gym. Driving to see our friends and family has become the norm. All those miles wreak havoc on our bodies, and our minds. The 2019 Census shows that the average, one-way commute, is 27.6 minutes. To spend an hour a day just commuting back and forth from work and home, constantly being on alert, is stressful.

What if you could ride your bike to work in comfort? What if you could walk along beautiful, friendly streets to your favorite restaurants? The cities with the highest quality of life around the world have one thing in common, they are designed for active transportation. They are designed to be walkable, with the pedestrian valued more than the car.

Luckily, here in Moab the beautiful red rock cliffs have stymied sprawl. However, to create the most comfortable and sustainable Moab for our current and future generations, we need to keep walkability in mind. Recently, our City Council passed the Unified Transportation Master Plan. In this plan are a multitude of projects that will enhance, and maintain, active transportation while also adding a pilot public transportation program.