Rethinking walkability in Niigata

What makes a city enjoyable to walk around for you? Maybe it's things like spacious sidewalks, a bit of greenery, or simply not feeling like you're about to be clipped by road traffic every time you cross a street.

I think walkability plays a huge role in how connected a city feels, and here in Niigata, that conversation is starting to take shape right outside JR Niigata Station. The city is considering a major rethink of Higashi-Odori Street, the roughly 170 meter stretch that runs from Bandai Square to Akashi-dori.

As part of the broader Niigata 2km project, which aims to better link the station area with Furumachi and surrounding districts, the city is looking at reducing the road from four lanes to three and widening the sidewalks pretty substantially. According to city plans, sidewalks could be expanded by up to six meters on each side, with more street trees and greenery added to create a space people can actually relax in. I think they sound like really positive changes!