Providing for safety and convince of bicyclists can be low cost, increase usage and possibly reduce congestion and pollution. Walking is a mode of transportation most of us use in our work trip, whether it is from the parking lot, bus stop or home. The 1990 Census indicates that over five percent in the county utilized walking as a primary mode of transportation to and from work and comprises a significant share of most trips. While this accounts only for the work trip, one might assume that walking comprises a similar, if not larger, share of other trip purposes. For the pedestrian, the Syracuse area has fewer sidewalks than many parts of the country.
Many communities have few, if any sidewalks.
Often schools, parks, shopping centers and other private businesses have few sidewalks leading to them. Shoppingtown Mall in Dewitt is the only major mall with sidewalk access. Sidewalks, including crosswalks, tend to be concentrated in the older sections of the villages and the city of Syracuse. Many municipalities have no active program to increase their number and several actually discourage the installation of sidewalks. Onondaga County permits, but does not encourage bicycles on the shoulders of county roads and discourages the installation of sidewalks.