By Mary C. Marvin, Mayor, Village of Bronxville

May 3, 2017:  In the spirit of spring, we are also heeding the advice of many planners/advisors who encourage us to further capitalize on our village as a premier walkable community.

To do our part, we are repairing village-owned sidewalks and crosswalks and we ask our residents to do the same. With the goal of making Bronxville more walkable, we are exploring areas that may be suitable for additional sidewalks and marked crosswalks. 

Per sidewalk maintenance, homeowners are responsible for the repair and maintenance of sidewalks that abut their property, be they concrete, stone, composite, or even dirt, with the goal of uniform safe passage. If you notice a sidewalk needing attention, contact the village building department at 914-337-7338, and staff will issue a "notice to cure." No monetary penalties attach unless the notice is ignored.

With the warmer weather, more pedestrians are out and about, especially youngsters. With that in mind, our police department will be stepping up enforcement of the texting and cell-phone-use-while-driving laws as well as speed laws and the crossing of double yellow lines. As a reminder, the areas adjacent to all of the schools in the village, including our nursery schools, are school zones with a 20 mph speed limit.

Most important, we want our "walkability" initiatives to encourage our youngsters to walk to all of our schools.

Verifiable scientific data reinforce these initiatives, as study upon study confirms that a morning walk to start one's day increases alertness and positively correlates with improved academic performance, greater self-esteem, and a sense of independence.

In a recent UK study, nine of ten teachers felt the children who walked to their school had less stress, increased creativity, better test scores, and, most important, arrived much more ready to learn. Studies in Denmark and Scotland correlated walking to school with responsible thinking, less obesity, personal independence, and a calmer state of mind. In addition, the children who walked to school demonstrated more positive physical movement/activity throughout the school day, and their level of concentration was even higher than those children who consumed a healthy, balanced breakfast.

More than any other nation, the U.S. trend is to rely more than ever on transportation to school by car. According to government statistics, the number of children driven to school within a one mile radius of their home was 20% in 1969 and is now upwards of 50% and growing. As a consequence, we are perpetrating a vicious cycle; the more students who are driven to school, the greater congestion and concomitant safety issues, so walking becomes more dangerous for those who opt to walk.

Concurrent with this change are rising childhood obesity, traffic congestion, and air pollution. In a Center for Disease Control study, it was found that less than one in five American students walks to school even once a week. During a full school week, 12% of American students walk every day vs 50% in England.

All of the studies cite statistical data but emphasize as equally important the demonstrative intangibles.

By walking, young people can realize a sense of adventure, see friends and neighbors, hear sounds of nature that are often missed, and enjoy the company of their mom, dad, or caregiver without distraction.

Young people also learn valuable safety rules--the safe way to walk and drive--and the rules of road safety, which are a lifelong need.