7 Reasons YOU Should Come to Open Streets Macon
Blog by Parneeta Mohapatra, Bike Walk Macon Fall 2021 Intern
Open Streets Macon is just around the corner! We’ll be reimagining Boulevard on Sunday, September 12th and Napier Ave. on Sunday, October 24th. There are countless reasons you should join us, but we’ve managed to narrow it down to seven reasons you should bring your friends and family, and share in the experience of enjoying our city streets as public space!
Repurpose Our Streets
When we see the streets of Macon, we picture them to be prioritized for vehicles. What if I told you that we could easily walk and bike on them too? Open Streets is a great day to see what our streets would look like without the use of motorized vehicles. It allows for a public space where the community can get to know each other. It also helps normalize active transportation, such as biking and walking, which has the potential to increase everyday physical activity.
Engage with the community
How much do you know about your neighbors and other community members? Open Streets allows you to make social connections and interact with people in the community that you may not usually get to see. This is a great way to understand our city and each other at a deeper level and is a very real opportunity to make our streets friendlier to all people.
Safe introduction to physical activity
Open Streets shows you how you can introduce physical activity in your daily lives! Throughout the day, there are many opportunities to get on your feet, whether it be walking, biking, or participating in fitness classes. Studies have shown that 39% of participants reach the recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, in just one day! Allowing an outlet for physical activity can reduce chronic conditions like heart disease.
Improve Mental Health
Physical activity and social engagement have a direct impact on mental health. When we create spaces that are safe and accessible, we can increase opportunities for recreation which positively impacts mental health. Interacting with members of our community can also encourage improvement in emotional wellbeing. Most importantly, participating in activities during Open Streets is a great way to relieve stress!
Interactions with local businesses
If you have a business or organization, Open Streets is a great way to show the community what you have to offer! When people slow down along the route, they may notice more businesses to visit and support. In Atlanta, nearly 82% of the Open Streets participants anticipated spending $10.00 or more at Atlanta Streets Alive. These could be at pop-up shops or businesses along the route.
Improved air quality
Cars release a large amount of pollution into the atmosphere. Open Streets is a great way of showing us a future where we use cars less! Studies have shown that one day off the streets improves air quality by a lot. LA’s CicLAvia improves air quality by reducing ultrafine particles in the air by over 20 percent, while a “study conducted in Bogotá reveals that particulate matter along the city’s Ciclovía route was 13 times higher on a regular weekday than on a Sunday.”
It’s a fun time!
Between fun activities, a bike parade, and the opportunity to interact with your community, we guarantee there’s no better way to spend your Sunday than with us! Bring your friends and family and even your dog and share in the experience of enjoying our city streets as public space!