Designing Pedestrian-Friendly Spaces to Enhance Health and Accessibility for New Jersey’s Aging Population

March 13th, 2025 by Bethany Villa

As New Jersey’s population ages, one challenge stands out: how can we create an environment that supports the well-being of older adults, particularly in urban and suburban spaces? The built environment—our streets, sidewalks, and public areas—profoundly affects the health and independence of seniors. Yet many older residents, particularly in underserved communities, face significant barriers to mobility. The key findings from a new report, “The Hidden Impact of the Built Environment: Designing Pedestrian-Friendly Spaces for Enhanced Health and Accessibility for Elderly & Aging Populations in New Jersey,” highlight how New Jersey can design safer, more accessible pedestrian spaces to improve the quality of life for the state’s older adults.

The report reveals that poorly designed urban spaces, especially those that prioritize cars over pedestrians, negatively impact the physical and mental health of older adults. Streets without safe crosswalks, sidewalks, or adequate lighting contribute to physical inactivity, a major risk factor for chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Additionally, limited access to parks or social spaces exacerbates feelings of isolation, which can lead to mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety. Conversely, communities with well-designed pedestrian infrastructure promote physical activity, social engagement, and overall well-being, helping older adults maintain their independence for longer.

In response to these issues, the report outlines a series of recommendations for improving New Jersey’s built environment to better support its aging population. First, the state should implement specific guidelines for pedestrian-friendly design that cater to the needs of older adults, ensuring that streets and public areas are safe and navigable. A second proposal is creating a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) tool* to help policymakers evaluate the health outcomes of urban development projects, particularly how they affect seniors. Lastly, the report advocates for a statewide Age-Friendly Communities Initiative,* drawing inspiration from successful local models like Montclair’s efforts to enhance pedestrian infrastructure and increase transportation options for older adults.

By focusing on these strategies, New Jersey can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for its aging population. Improved pedestrian infrastructure and a focus on health outcomes in urban planning will not only benefit seniors but also contribute to a healthier, more vibrant community overall. As the 65+ population in the state continues to grow, now is the time to act—ensuring that New Jersey’s built environment enhances the mobility, independence, and quality of life of its older residents.

*New Jersey Future notes:

Statewide Age-Friendly Communities Initiative: New Jersey has three robust age-friendly initiatives. Age-Friendly North Jersey and the Age-Friendly State Policy Committee (convened by New Jersey Future) are a connected cross-sectoral network of organizations committed to advancing the Age-Friendly movement across part or all of the Garden State. Lifelong Strong NJ is a third connected advocacy campaign to enlist the next governor as a champion who will ensure all New Jerseyans can thrive in the Garden State as we age.
Health Impact Assessment: While not official state government policies, Sustainable Jersey, a policy center at The College of New Jersey, has prepared several documents for use by municipal leaders in assessing the aging-friendliness of their town and taking steps to improve conditions for older residents:
- The Complete and Green Streets for All Action focuses on streets and sidewalks and their role in addressing the mobility needs of all users, including older adults.
- The Local Health Assessment and Action Plan is the foundational action for municipalities seeking the Gold Star in Health (an additional recognition the program awards).
- The Community Design for All Ages Action provides several options for municipalities to improve the built environment to accommodate the design needs of older adults.
- The Integrating Health Into Municipal Decision Making Action asks the municipality to complete a Municipal “Health in All Policies” checklist to review internal procedures in municipal operations, as well as a review of a particular policy, program, or plan to assess how health and health equity are being considered in the decision making process.

View the full report.

Bethany Villa, Princeton University Class of 2026, prepared this report as a project for a fall 2024 undergraduate course entitled Critical Perspectives in Global Health Policy, taught by Heather Howard in Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). Tim Evans, New Jersey Future’s Research Director, served as Bethany’s client and external advisor for the project.