Even with lack of exercise being a major contributing factor to the childhood obesity
epidemic in America, few children walk to school today. Only 13% in 2009 compared to 50% about 20 to 30 years ago.
This can be attributed to a lot of reasons but it doesn’t help that schools are sometimes built on cheap land outside of walking range for most
students.
As planning for three new schools is in the works, a Seattle city traffic safety committee has been working on ways to improve school design to encourage more active children and less driving.
http://streetsblog.net/2013/09/19/seattle-reconsiders-school-design-to-get-kids-walking-again/