Earlier this year, David Keddie, founder of ‘Walkable Princeton’ founder was invited to join Mayor Mark Freda on Episode 42 of “The Princeton Podcast”. The regular recordings are a way for Mayor Freda to talk to different members of the community and hear from Princeton residents who “contribute their time and talent to our culturally diverse and historically rich community”. David and Mayor Freda had the chance to discuss many of the ideas that inform the ‘Walkable Princeton’ group, including Smart Growth, housing affordability, and environmental sustainability.

David explained what he meant by the “Walkable Princeton” vision:

“when your kids can go swim classes, walking, being able to walk to work, or a date night, bumping into friends as you’re walking home, that’s a certain vision, a certain lifestyle that Princeton’s history allows us to live…as opposed to late 20th century suburbia, where every time you go out the door you have to get in a car…”

Walkable Princeton came into being 10 years ago, in 2013, when David wrote a letter to local media, “Princeton Needs More Apartment Buildings” (Report: “Announcing Walkable Princeton!” He explained how friends and colleagues that he has known over the years are regularly not able to find housing in town, and are forced to live elsewhere and drive for everything they need. The Mayor and David discussed how building more homes in Princeton could have sustainability advantages, by protecting farmland from being developed as subdivisions, and reducing car use. David also expressed a hope that the town might “align new development along the Dinky corridor,” to enable more people to live in Princeton, and make use of the rail connection.

Find more information and a full audio download of David Keddie on the Princeton Podcast at the official website at this link, or check out the recording below!