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On vacation, you can explore entire city centers on foot, discover hidden alleys, and experience your surroundings more deeply. But walking is also “in” again in everyday life. This shift has implications for infrastructure planning: whether in strategic transport planning, at major events, or in the context of climate adaptation – pedestrian traffic is moving to the forefront of urban planning and transportation policy. With growing urbanization and demographic change leading to more vulnerable road users, one thing is clear: attractive, safe, and barrier-free sidewalks are a key component of livable cities.
Walking as a Pillar of Mobility
“Walking should never be an ordeal – not even in the height of summer,” emphasized Belit Onay, Mayor of Hanover, a major city in Germany and an important metropolis in northern Germany, during a model project on climate-adapted urban mobility. Together with Cologne and other cities, Hanover is currently studying how to actively promote walking while making it more heat-resilient. Shade, water features, seating, and traffic-calmed spaces – all these elements are designed to make walking more pleasant and safe during high temperatures
Germanwide, the topic is also gaining traction: The National Walking Strategy, published in February 2025, sets out concrete goals and measures to strengthen walking in Germany for the first time. It calls for safe and barrier-free routes, improved school walking routes, pedestrian crossings, and the systematic integration of walking in transportation planning. Worldwide, this topic is becoming increasingly important. Even the U.S. Department of Transportation has developed a strategic plan to ensure the safety of active transportation modes.
Walking as a Professional Focus
The growing importance of the subject is evident at high-profile events: The Walking Congress in Mainz, Germany, in March 2025 brought together representatives from government, politics, planning, and academia. Anna Helm, transportation planner at PTV Group, summed it up perfectly: “Sustainable transportation planning begins with the question of how we can strengthen walking as a central pillar of mobility – for livable cities today and in the future.”
Walk Friendly Communities is a U.S. national recognition program designed to motivate and acknowledge towns and cities that prioritize pedestrian safety by fostering improved walking environments – addressing factors like safety, mobility, access, and comfort. The program is operated by the University of North Carolina’s Highway Safety Research Center, supported by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC). It employs a rigorously developed assessment tool – grounded in expert research, program reviews, and pilot testing – to evaluate and guide communities in enhancing walkability and pedestrian infrastructure across multiple dimensions.
There are many measures and events that demonstrate an active pedestrian policy is increasingly being viewed as a location factor.
Walking in PTV Project Practice
PTV Group brings its expertise on walking to a wide range of project types:
Traffic Safety
PTV contributes to traffic safety strategies at the federal and state levels and conducts safety audits – particularly for pedestrian crossings and shared pedestrian–bicycle routes. Video-based counts at bus stops, train stations, and underpasses complete the portfolio.
Simulation & Analysis of Pedestrian Flows
With PTV Viswalk, pedestrian movements can be realistically simulated at major events or transport hubs – such as in stadiums, at train stations (e.g., Frankfurt, Hamburg), or during concerts.
Integrated Transport Modeling
For over 20 years, PTV Visum transport models have incorporated walking. In the research project REMO, transportation experts are working to make walking a stronger component in the nationwide Validate transportation model.
Urban and Transport Planning
In numerous mobility and climate concepts – e.g., in Frankfurt, Dresden, Münster, and Schwabach – PTV advises cities on promoting walking. This includes redesigning areas such as Leipzig’s Promenadenring or creating connected, attractive pedestrian networks and parking concepts.
Data & Studies: Walking on the Rise
Recent data confirms the trend in Germany: According to the latest “Mobilität in Deutschland “(MID 2023) study, walking accounts for 26% of all trips (modal split) and 4% of total passenger-kilometers. In other words, more than one in four trips is made on foot – a significant increase compared to 2017. While this upward trend is partly driven by lifestyle changes and evolving work patterns, it highlights the great potential of walking for sustainable everyday mobility in Germany.
By contrast, walking for fitness and relaxation is well-known in the United States. However, only a small proportion of Americans say they walk for transportation. People with lower incomes are more likely to do so. However, walking is becoming increasingly popular.
Conclusion and Outlook
Creating livable public spaces requires rethinking street design and space allocation – with a focus on enhancing quality of stay and pedestrian-friendliness. Walking has the potential to become the key to more livable, healthier, and climate-friendly cities. But success will require more than good intentions:
- Investments in infrastructure
- Consistent integration into planning processes
- Stronger legal frameworks
- A willingness to explore new paths in urban design
The direction is right – now it’s time to stay the course and make walking a natural part of life, step by step, for all road users, including the most vulnerable.
The importance of pedestrian traffic is growing
Optimize your city’s infrastructure for all road users
Walking – A Key to Sustainable Mobility
Optimize your city’s infrastructure for all road users.
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