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Comment by davidw | Hacker News Reader

In many places, it's not that difficult to get into local politics and start making a difference. And it really is easier to get things done than at a national level.

This group has a lot of good ideas for how to start improving your town: https://www.strongtowns.org/

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I understand what you're saying, but using eminent domain to seize part of people's property to expand the size of roads and add sidewalks is no small (or popular, or cheap) task.

That's why a lot of places prefer the hands off approach: Legal mandate sidewalks for all new builds/major changes, but grandfather in all existing property and let the "problem solve itself" over tens of years.

It kinda works if an area is naturally undergoing development. As farmland gets more urbanized and developers build housing they're forced to upgrade the roads to add sidewalks.

Road right of ways in most places are way more than sufficient to provide adequate space for sidewalks, so eminent domain isn't really a big part of the equation.

It's really a question of political will to stop making everything all about cars all the time.

Nothing more American than taking a politically expedient position and then kicking the can down the road for future generations to deal with.

I wish, but the fact is the average citizen probably doesnt care about walkability or walkable infrastructure and would likely be hostile to any such project because "tax dollars".

Right now people are fighting like hell to get a municipal internet in place (with much of the infrastructure already existing) to break the Specturm monopoly, but most people are apathetic or apprehensive to any sort of public spending

A small group of determined people can make a surprising difference.

Also: sitting around doing nothing is a great way to ensure that nothing at all happens.

There's a certain demographic in the US that is largely apathetic toward most issues until there's a price tag associated with it, at which point they leap to their bedroom office chairs to post incessantly on facebook about it.

Even in a larger city like Atlanta, I never had trouble getting access to my city council member. Their staffers were even more accessible. While I wasn't always able to get them to do what I want, they were always open to having a discussion as to why or why not something was possible. Once you start going up the government ladder, things quickly get much more difficult.

> In many places, it's not that difficult to get into local politics and start making a difference.

I've recently discovered this. You are are absolutely correct. I'm helping make my "small" City more walk and bike able.

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