#bikewalkprovostories Karen Spencer and family “What we love best about not owning a car is all of the walks we take together. When we go to the Rec Center, the library, Church, or shopping, we walk to get there. Even if we use a bus, we walk to the bus and then walk from the bus to our destination. The kids jump, wiggle, run, pick up leaves and sticks, and talk. Sometimes they drag their feet and complain, but they know we have to keep going because there’s no other option! :) My husband and I went for a long walk on our first date and the conversation we had set the tone for our whole future together. When my husband and I want time alone together now, we still go for a walk and talk. The other side of this story is that walking for us has also been a financial necessity. Selling our car in 2009 allowed us to pay the rent and to make ends meet in the years that followed. I especially appreciated that it meant I could stay home and homeschool our kids even though my husband was in grad school. Eleven years and a PhD later, it isn’t as financially necessary, but living without a car allows us to save up for home repairs and other projects that are important to us. And it keeps me humble, knowing that many of my fellow Provo residents are in the same situation we were in just a few years ago. ————————————————————– Provo has been a *great* place to walk, but if I were to suggest any improvements based on my experiences, they would be: 1) make sure sidewalks don’t end without warning along busy streets 2) provide sufficient lighting at every intersection 3) make sure grocery stores can be safely reached on foot with little kids, or by those in wheelchairs, by making sure there are good sidewalks nearby and having a clearly marked walking route through the grocery store parking lot 4) require security/convex mirrors or warning lights at the exit of every underground parking garage Those four things would make walking with little children much, much safer. We also thoroughly appreciate the UVX and other reliable bus routes and we’re excited to see continued investment in public transportation! “