I remember my excited face smushed up against the car window eagerly taking in the big city of Boston. It was finally the day my family and I were going to see the Red Sox. I couldn’t wait! 

We drove past Fenway Park and I watched in dismay as it got further and further away. I shrieked that we were passing it. We needed to turn around! Dad told me to calm down because we needed to find a free parking place first.

I waited for what seemed like an eternity until we finally parked the car on a quiet back street. I eagerly jumped out of the car as Dad locked up and then we started walking through the city back toward Fenway. Sometime later, Fenway Park appeared up ahead. That day, I got to see Carl Yastrzemski live on the baseball field and have my first Fenway Frank. 

That trip to and from Fenway that day was my first memorable park and walk trip.

Obesity is a growing problem in America. The average American adult is more than 25 pounds heavier today than in 1960. Obesity is associated with the development of diabetes, hypertension and other chronic conditions.

Global warming is a problem that threatens the planet. Despite efforts to increase the use of public transportation and reduce CO2 emissions, transit ridership in Massachusetts remains flat, in part due to COVID. While building housing near transit stations is an excellent approach to increase both walking and transit ridership, the reality for many people is that demand for such housing is high and, when not subsidized, is unaffordable.

Where transit is an available option, it often doesn’t offer convenient service to many places of employment, businesses and shopping locations. Transit also is limited or unavailable in many parts of the state. Many residents choose not to use transit even when it is available and prefer using their cars for convenience to meet most or all transportation needs. Automobiles will continue to remain most people’s primary means of transport for the foreseeable future.

What’s the solution?

“Park and Walk” is a simple approach that accepts this reality, but can also combat obesity and global warming in measurable ways. The concept is as simple as it sounds. Instead of driving to a workplace, shopping center, church, school, or transit station or stop, you find a suitable place to park nearby that has walking infrastructure and walk to and from your final destination(s).

While some “Park and Walk” locations could be designated, “Park and Walk” locations and the distance to be walked are entirely up to the participant, and can vary daily or be lengthened or shortened based on the walker’s schedule or physical goals. I believe one to three miles is an ideal distance for a “Park and Walk.”

“Park and Walk” is being used now informally by many people, but it can be promoted so that it is put into widespread routine practice by nearly anyone who regularly drives. The many benefits include saving on driving costs, reducing the number of miles driven, CO2 emissions — unless your vehicle power supply is solar or wind — and improving physical and mental health.

There are a nearly infinite number of possible routes for “Park and Walk” in Massachusetts that can be used by residents without any need for government funding, other than education to promote the idea. A “Park and Walk” health initiative would encourage the use of existing walking infrastructure, but could also support the construction of new walking routes, to make improvements to existing routes to make them safer, and for the construction or designation of more suitable parking locations.

“Park and Walk” also could reduce demand for parking in city and town centers, schools and business locations.

My doctor has been telling me for years to get more exercise and I’m finally listening. With a history of type 2 diabetes in my family, I’m worried about possible pre-diabetes symptoms and realized it was time to take more control of my health. “Park and Walk” has provided me an easy way to build routine exercise into my commute and that has made all the difference.

I typically walk two miles to and from work along a beautiful rail trail in Easthampton. Even on the cold or rainy days, it clears my head and allows me to plan my day on the way in, and unwind after a busy day on the way out. So far it is working well and, coupled with better nutrition, I am losing weight and feel better and stronger.

What I’ve also learned is finding a place to park can be the trickiest part, and finding locations with free parking takes a little time.

Government and businesses can support a “Park and Walk” initiative, as well as business foot traffic, by continuing to build good walking infrastructure near and leading to city and town centers, schools, places of employment and business locations. Free parking can also be promoted and provided at shared use path street crossings and along sidewalks to encourage its use.

Employers could be encouraged to promote “Park and Walk’ as part of their employee well-being programs to reduce their health insurance costs, and possibly sponsor free parking along walking routes to their location.

“Park and Walk” can be implemented nearly anywhere and strongly complements existing transportation and public health initiatives for residents who live in small towns, suburbs, or cities in Massachusetts. “Park and Walk” dovetails with Mass in Motion, Complete Streets, and the Healthy Transportation Policy Initiative by encouraging people to walk more and make use of the new sidewalks and shared use paths that have been constructed under these programs.

Our state’s leaders at all levels should join to promote “Park and Walk” to help improve the health of the residents of Massachusetts. The precedent is there to create this public health initiative. It’s a simple and affordable way to positively impact obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other chronic conditions if it were widely promoted.

Dan Murphy lives in Sunderland and is Easthampton’s city engineer. ]]>