For junior Fajr Naveed, Carmel’s walkable downtown has shaped how she connects with both people and places in distinct ways. Instead of moving quickly through the area by car, she said walking allows her to slow down and engage more intentionally with the environment around her.

“I definitely do think it creates a stronger sense of community,” she said. “Everything is close by, and there’s a community feel to it.”

As Carmel continues to prioritize pedestrian-friendly design, many students say the city’s walkability plays a key role in strengthening a sense of community. Naveed said the layout of downtown Carmel encourages interaction not only between students, but also between residents, local business owners and visitors.

“When I’m walking, I’m definitely more inclined to stop at local businesses, maybe do some shopping,” Naveed said. “I also end up seeing more people I recognize when I’m walking, and I get the chance to stop and talk to them.”

Naveed pointed to local traditions and events as examples of how walkability reinforces shared identity. During events like Homecoming, she said, the physical closeness of shops and public spaces amplifies the feeling of connection.

“All the businesses have like Carmel posters on their windows,” Naveed said. “I think that makes us all feel very connected.”

Junior Eli Tiu said Carmel’s wide sidewalks and public spaces make the city easier to navigate and more welcoming.

“There’s a lot of public space and big sidewalks,” Tiu said. “Where I used to live, even in downtown areas, the sidewalks were really narrow.”

Tiu also said walkability also changes how people experience the city by encouraging them to slow down and notice their surroundings.

“When you’re driving, everything moves so fast,” he said. “You don’t really get to see anything. When you’re walking, you actually notice what’s around you.”

According to Mike Hollibaugh, director of Carmel’s Planning and Zoning Office, walkability has been a central part of Carmel’s identity for more than a century.

“Walkability is Carmel’s secret sauce that sets us apart,” Hollibaugh said. “Fundamentally, the pace and dynamics of walking are the most beneficial to bringing community together and the safest; it is the fundamental opposite of car transport which is fast and isolating and dangerous, separating people from each other, at high speeds with well documented impacts to public health and the environment where we live.”

Hollibaugh explained that Carmel’s leadership has intentionally invested in pedestrian and bike infrastructure for decades, creating a downtown environment designed to be multifaceted.

“Carmel has made walkability and bike-ability such an important priority over the past 30+ years, with Carmel leadership, both the Mayor and City Council, making bike and pedestrian improvements a high priority,” Hollibaugh said. 

“One key point in Carmel’s walkable evolution was Jeff Speck’s plan for Midtown,” Hollibaigh said. “(It) focused on how to connect City Center and the Arts & Design District with a walkable mixed-use district based on his key principles, that a walk must be useful, safe, comfortable and interesting. I think the environment in downtown Carmel is achieving all of those principles in varying degrees.”

Carmel’s downtown is often compared to European walkable cities, a comparison Naveed said feels accurate due to the layout of the streets, public art, and emphasis on local businesses rather than large parking lots.

“The streets are narrow and full of art, and there are thriving local businesses everywhere,” she said. “The architecture is beautiful, especially buildings like City Hall. I think that inspiration makes the community feel tight-knit because everything is so close and small.”

Hollibaugh however, had a slightly different perspective.

“Downtown Carmel is great and improving, but we have a far way to travel to catch up with the walkability and bike-ability of Europe.” 

Ultimately, students said Carmel’s walkable downtown creates more than just an attractive setting, but rather a unique place for inclusion, interaction and everyday connection.

“It encourages me to go out more,” Naveed said. “It makes me want to be social and invite my friends out, because I know there’s a place right there where we can walk around, have fun and feel connected.”