The commuter towns of NJ are always desirable in terms easy access to the city. But now more than ever residents are looking to these downtown communities to serve as more than just transportation hubs. They are looking for walkable downtowns that have restaurants, local boutiques, coffee shops, and yoga studios for convenience and cultural appeal.

This WNYC story explains how these neighborhoods are in high demand and that in order for small towns to survive should focus on developing walkable town centers. Yes! Agreed! This particular story focuses on Bloomfield, NJ. The quote I found particularly interesting is “We usually think about the city versus the suburbs, but maybe a more useful way to look at the built environment is if you’re jones-ing for a slice of pizza can you walk or do you have to drive? Some places are oriented around pedestrians and are walkable. And other places are oriented around cars, and are drivable. There are walkable places in the suburbs too. And like Bloomfield, they’re growing.”