New Deal Accomplishment: 90,000 miles of sidewalks, foot trails, and pedestrian paths constructed, improved, or maintained

Above: WPA workers constructing a sidewalk on Humbird Street, Cumberland, Maryland, April 23, 1937. Photo from the University of Maryland College Park Archives.

Above: A WPA sidewalk project in Atmore, Alabama, April 1939. Photo from the National Archives.

Above: A finished section of the WPA sidewalk project in Atmore, Alabama (see previous photo). Photo from the National Archives.

Above: A WPA sidewalk project in Phoenix, Arizona, between 1935 and 1943. Photo from the National Archives.

Above: WPA workers on a sidewalk project in Jersey City, New Jersey, 1936. Photo from the National Archives.

Above: A Civil Works Administration sidewalk project, between 1933 and 1934. Photo from: Henry G. Alsberg, America Fights the Depression: A Photographic Record of the Civil Works Administration, New York: Coward-McCann Publishers, 1934, used here for educational and non-commercial purposes.  

Above: A new sidewalk in West Virginia, courtesy of the Work Division of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), 1934-1935. Photo from the Work Division's final report.

Above: The New Deal also built many miles of footpaths or pedestrian paths, such as this National Youth Administration (NYA) project in Pennsylvania. These types of paths were routinely topped with cinder. This newspaper excerpt is from, "25,000 Youths From Allegheny County Given a Start Up the Ladder by NYA," The Pittsburgh Press, January 6, 1939, p. 14. Image from newspapers.com, used here for educational and non-commercial purposes.

Above: The National Park Service notes that "Trail development flourished during the 1930s. During this time, workers built many trails on state and federal lands. Federal programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration (WPA) combined conservation and economic relief. Relief crews carried out projects all over the country under strict guidelines for trails and related structures. These tight controls on design and construction made the trails both beautiful and durable. The large crews of young men developed a set of skills that could be passed on to the next generation of trail builders and maintainers." Quote and photo from, "Creation of Trails," National Park Service, accessed May 28, 2026.

Above: CCC trails often lead hikers to streams, pavilions, historic sites, and scenic views, like this overlook in Lost River State Park, West Virginia. Photo by Brent McKee, 2011.

Above: Organizations like the Lost River Trails Coalition realize the value of CCC trails and work to preserve them for both their historic value and for continued public use. May 2026 screen grab, used here for educational and non-commercial purposes.

Above: A WPA poster promoting hiking. Image from the Library of Congress.

A New Deal for Walking

Here are some statistics on New Deal sidewalk, foot trail, and  pedestrian path construction:

FERA: 4,685 miles of new or improved sidewalks, paths, and trails (source).  

WPA: 30,579 miles of new or improved sidewalks and paths (source).

NYA: 992 miles of new or improved sidewalks (source).

CCC: 54,442 miles of new and maintained foot trails (source).

Adding up the work of just these four agencies, we see that the New Deal built, improved, or maintained at least 90,000 miles of sidewalks, foot trails, and pedestrian paths. That's enough sidewalk, trail, and path work to go from New York City to San Francisco... and back again... 18 times.

This New Deal work improved safety (for both drivers and pedestrians), made walking easier, expanded exercise area, and opened up parks and forests for greater exploration and enjoyment.