Sidewalks improve quality of life in three main ways: 1. They enhance pedestrian safety and allow for easier traffic flow by separating foot and vehicle traffic. This reduces accidents and congestion. 2. They encourage social interaction as sidewalks are where people naturally congregate while waiting or walking, providing opportunities to meet neighbors. 3. They are environmentally friendly as they promote walking and biking over driving, improving air quality and public health.

1. Reasons Sidewalks
Improve the
Quality of Life

2. Hello!
I am Emily Clark
I am here because I love to give
presentations.
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3. 1.
Sidewalks and
Quality of life?

4. “⬗ Did you just read the caption right? Yes,
we are talking about how the quality of
life is directly improved by the
availability of sidewalks in New York
City! Sidewalks are one of the most
underrated objects of urban
infrastructure ever contemplated by a
common commuter in this city.
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5. This is a slide title
⬗ Let’s do some contemplation here. How many times a month do
you commute by foot? Has your car ever broken down in the
middle of a road and you’ve been forced to use the sidewalks
instead? Maybe you take your dog for a walk or grab a coffee
down the road once in a while – using these sidewalks. All of
us come in contact with this beautiful innovation of man at least
once a day. So that’s one person using sidewalks every day, all
year round. Now multiply that with the 8.5 million population
of NYC. The maximum human interaction is on sidewalks every
way. You see a group of people gathered together, waiting for the
bus to arrive. Then there are another dozen people lined up near
a bagel stall or grabbing a quick coffee from the corner of the
street.
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6. ⬗ Sidewalks hold much more
importance than what you might
believe. Let’s give them some due
appreciation and go through the
benefits sidewalks reap for us.
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7. ⬗ Pedestrian Safety and Easy Traffic Flow
Did you know that in NYC around 180,000 traffic crashes take place annually, out of these
there are about 4500 recorded incidents of traffic crashes which result in the death of
pedestrians? This danger can be completely eliminated by building spacious sidewalks,
allowing the traffic to flow easily without the threat of any crash. The curbs built along the
pavements in Queens, Brooklyn and many other urban areas provide for a barrier between
the cars and pedestrians. This leads to lesser traffic congestion, improving the capacity and
operations of motor vehicles. This regulates the flow of traffic, allows for the bicycles to
surf freely and obviously given us on foot commuters some safe room to walk freely.
Sidewalks truly are safe havens for pedestrians who prefer the strength of their shins than
the tires! Are you also pro-walking?
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8. ⬗ Interpersonal Communication
21st Century has risen in all its glory, revolutionizing our lives, making us tech savvy and
increasing our dependency on the tech stuff. While it has definitely made our lives easier, it
comes bearing with it some pros and cons – the biggest of these cons is the decreased social
interaction between people.
The best remedy for people to make new friends is to step out of their comfort zones and
make small talk with people. The ideal place to do so is a sidewalk where people from all
walks of life meet. Walking on sidewalks gives you the chance to pass a greeting to an
acquaintance or meet a neighbor. Help someone pick up an object they accidentally slipped
or just casually comment on how nice someone’s scarf looks.
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9. ⬗ Environment and Health Friendly
All the environmentalists out there preach this every day. Reduce. Reuse and Recycle.
Reduce motor vehicles and their carbon emissions, reuse cycles for commuting and recycle
material for making sidewalks! If people of a community choose walking over driving
motor vehicles, it greatly benefits the air they breathe in and the society as a whole becomes
a better place to live in. Walking and preferring going someplace through bikes or public
transportation improves your personal health as well as health of the environment. Walking
is the eco-friendliest mode of transportation since time immemorial and a dire need in
today’s age of rapidly changing climate. We need to promote sidewalks and actively endorse
an ecofriendly lifestyle. It comes as no surprise that the cases of heart diseases and obesity
are on the rise in urban areas and people have opted out of any recreational physical
activities that were once a core necessity. NYC is known for it uber active and busy lifestyle,
sidewalks are the cherry on top for this city!
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10. ⬗ Beautifying the cityscape
If a comparison is drawn between the roads of New York City and any suburban city, the
difference would be clear. The existence of sidewalks makes a city look more organized as
compared to the hustle of a suburban area where there is no buffer between the walking
and motor community. You’ll find people walking at the sides of the roads and waiting
long minutes on turns to make sure a buzzing car doesn’t show up. The lack of sidewalks in
suburban areas makes it unsafe for pedestrians and pets to move around freely. It also
hinders the flow of traffic when a large group of people are passing by or walking at the
sides of the main road.
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11. Sidewalks are an
important manifest of
civil engineering which
adorn the cityscape and
add to its aesthetic
appeal. They make our
lives beautiful every day!
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Thanks!