Pedestrians First

Pedestrians First is an interactive online tool designed to help people understand and measure how walkable a city is. It has been developed by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP. New York) and focuses especially on the needs of babies, young children, and their caregivers, using them as a reference to design better cities for everyone.

The site offers several tools that allow users to explore and analyse cities at different levels. For example, you can see maps and data about how close people live to services like schools or public transport, evaluate whether a neighbourhood is easy to walk around, or even assess a specific street using a checklist of features such as sidewalks, crossings, safety, or shade. These tools are based on indicators like access to services, population density, or the quality of pedestrian infrastructure, helping users understand what makes a city more or less walkable.

The main idea behind the project is that walkable cities are healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable. When cities are designed so that even the most vulnerable people can move safely on foot, they become better places for everyone to live.

This website can be very useful in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. First, it provides authentic, real-world content in English, which helps students develop reading and vocabulary skills related to topics like cities, environment, and transport. Second, it can be used for interactive activities, such as analysing a city, comparing different places, or discussing how to improve urban life. These tasks encourage speaking and critical thinking.

https://pedestriansfirst.itdp.org/