To repeat: Surgeon General calls for public health gains through walking and walkable places.

It's worth saying again, again, and even again -- even though we did so just a few days ago.

Surgeon General: building walkable communities is essential to our health, by Michael Russell (Transportation for America)

 ... Designing cities and towns to encourage walking involves smart planning of public transit and cycling infrastructure because both amenities extend the range that the average citizen can walk. Smarter transportation planning puts the majority of a person’s needs within walking distance, from errands to school, work and everything else. And the more we walk, the better our mood, the safer our streets and the healthier we become.

Tyler Norris, vice president of Total Health Partnerships at Kaiser Permanente, one of the many guests on hand to extol the benefits of the Surgeon General’s call-to-action, closed the day with some inspiring words about the numerous benefits of walking. Walking, he said, is good not only for individuals, but for communities:

“We were born to walk. Our bodies are designed to walk. There is nothing we can do that is simpler or more cost effective for our health and well-being than walking. Nothing is a better contributor to creating a healthy community than to make the public and private investments that are essential for the infrastructure for walking and rolling [in wheelchairs] throughout our communities. Every mayor and economic development leader will tell you that a walkable community is also a more economically vibrant and prosperous community.”