‘Sometimes it’s absolutely baffling’

A frustrated pedestrian was shocked to discover Houston’s poor sidewalk design.

As they walked through a neighborhood, the paved sidewalk suddenly ended. Although the gap in the sidewalk was only a few feet long, it was covered in grass, making it potentially difficult to navigate.

The pedestrian could not understand why the sidewalk was not continuous. Especially for people with disabilities, crossing this sidewalk would be especially challenging.

After sharing the images on Reddit’s r/Houston forum, the post sparked a discussion about poor pedestrian design across America.

“Many parts of the Houston area do not have sidewalks. It’s downright baffling at times,” one user wrote. “I hate how inaccessible it is here.”

“This is honestly an issue across America where homeowners are responsible for building and maintaining sidewalks,” another Redditor commented.

Being a pedestrian in a car-centric city is not only frustrating but also dangerous. When cities lack the necessary infrastructure to support pedestrians, residents are forced to navigate heavily trafficked roads at their own risk.

In the US, car-centric cities have become the norm. In fact, just 1.2% of the top 35 U.S. metropolitan neighborhoods are walkable, according to a report from Smart Growth America.

The transition to a pedestrian-centric city, however, brings numerous benefits to both the community and the environment. Walkable cities create gathering areas for residents, supporting local businesses and community development.

When locals feel safe choosing alternative forms of transport, such as cycling or walking, they become more active, promoting their overall health and well-being. By becoming less car dependent, residents can help reduce the production of harmful pollutants that heat the atmosphere.

Redditors continued to discuss the poor pedestrian infrastructure throughout the city of Houston.

“It sucks,” wrote one user. “I moved here two years ago and it’s easily the least pedestrian-friendly city I’ve ever visited.”

“I have never lived anywhere or visited a city that is as aggressively anti-pedestrian and anti-bike as Houston,” agreed another Redditor.

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