America is suffering from a public health crisis, with obesity and lack of exercise being primary health risks. The city could support a culture of health by striping existing streets for bike lanes, creating a farmer's market, and loosening restrictions on walkable, neighborhood businesses. These are low-cost responses that can be done quickly and have other positive benefits beyond health. Instead, they are more likely to seek state assistance for a recreational trail or maybe a federal safe-routes-to-school grant to add a few blocks of sidewalk around a school.
