Thread by @Shmuli

This is the neighborhood in Amersfoort Netherlands, I grew up in. Red roads are higher traffic, orange is local access calm roads, the yellow are parking areas. Blue is a canal. The rest is all pedestrian infrastructure that children can safely walk around.

Everything is walkable. 4 minutes to the closet supermarket. 9 minutes to a small shopping mall. 10 bike ride to the center of the city with all shopping/eating and entertainment options. Obviously with dedicated safe bike lanes.

I feel like my independence has a child was greatly improved because of the safe infrastructure that allowed it. My parents didn't worry we would be hit by a car, as much as I am worried about my children walking in NYC streets.

There were three bus stops 3 min walk from my house, that give you a direct connection to the Amersfoort main train station or center city. The busses run every 15 minutes, and very (a bit too much) on time.

This is the sidewalk, a pedestrian square in front of small one floor houses, mostly used by the elderly. This is where I learned to bike without training wheels.

30kmh zone, no parking at the raised intersection. Underground Garbage Receptacles, pedestrian only path. A safe and convenient place for a family to live.

Many pedestrian only bridges over the water, and a special bike lane under the highway to a Nature Reserve on the other side.

By having to walk and having pedestrian friendly infrastructure, you create a better connected community, with more opportunities to casually communicate with your neighbors. It's a city with all city advantages + the advantages of a suburban environment.

The strip malls have parking, but prioritize bike parking closest to the stores. The cycling infrastructure gives you a straight direct route to the center city, while cars need to go around the outer ring. Emergency services have access to remove the red bollards.

A covered bus stop with seats, a Bus bulb to keep people on bikes safe. and a speed bump to slow down drivers.