Lisa Randall is a science professor at Harvard.
Physics. Dark matter. Stuff like that.
I’m currently interested in what she discovered from a big hole in Oxford Street, a street on campus that was shut down for repairs. Most folks would see the closing of a street as a nuisance. Not so for Lisa Randall. She discovered something positive.
She saw the street turn into another walkway for the campus. It actually brought people together. And then she thought that’s what more cities should do.
“Pedestrian-friendly cities make for the best cities,” she concluded, saying cities should eliminate or greatly reduce car traffic.
This was her response when she and other Harvard faculty were asked this question: “What is one thing wrong with the world that you would change, and why?”
I know. Getting rid of cars is not practical on many levels. But it can be magical. Think about it -- the things you discover when you get out of the car and walk. It’s a great way, perhaps the best way, to get to know your neighborhood or the town you live in.
We all quickly learn how streets slice up our towns into neighborhoods and shopping stops. But what we see is a slide show moving way too fast. Walk around your own neighborhood and you’ll see what I mean. Key word there being “see.” Things you had not seen before.
Walking puts you closer to your neighbors. You might even talk to them.
Perhaps you don’t know your town at all -- or the people who live there -- until you’ve walked it.
I’m Lonny Cain … and that’s my Perspective.
