Lubbock’s Walkability and Bike Safety Scores Spark Calls for Change

With lower half national scores, Lubbock's walk and bike scores highlight regions needing work on pedestrian and cyclist safety. A tool gauging walkability, Walk Score shows some Lubbock neighborhoods lacking sufficient infrastructure, especially for seniors.

Internal medicine expert Dr. Piyush Mittal of Covenant Medical Group emphasizes the health advantages of walking and the importance of secure surroundings. "Walking is among the simplest and most easily available kinds of exercise," Mittal added. Some parks and neighborhoods, meanwhile, lack appropriate pavement and safety precautions.

Mittal thinks that giving safety top priority will greatly improve Lubbock's walkability, therefore enabling more people to enjoy the health advantages of walking.

The city had a cycling score of 42.5, ranking 100th out of 130 cities for bikers. Improving safety depends, Ellis McCasland, president of the West Texas Cycling Association, says, on mutual respect between cars and bikers.

"Drivers need to stay alert and avoid distractions; cyclists have to be visible and polite," McCasland advised. "Common sense and kindness will help to greatly increase the safety of our streets for all."

Lubbock has the ability to increase walk and bike ratings with community cooperation and infrastructural improvements, therefore improving both health and travel choices.

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