Throughout history, urban planning has been designed for and by able-bodied men. What does that mean for everyone else?

Our personal lived experiences influence how we see the world, and how, as planners and designer, we find solutions to mobility challenges. The fact is that despite gains in many countries to balance gender roles in daily life, men and women experience the world differently. Our differences in height, body types and even values have an impact. By aiming to have more gender parity of voices in the room, you have a much greater chance of hearing more balanced approaches and ideas.

So how do we rectify our wrongs? We can't go back in time to America's first urban planning conference, held in New York in 1898, but there's some simple solutions we can implement now. Here's how.

Every trip counts

Think about the parent who not only drives to work, but stops at multiple schools or daycares, picks up groceries at the end of the day, and then runs errands for their elderly relatives. These short, frequent trips are just as important as the paid job people head to every day, and they should also be documented when creating or measuring the transportation network as a whole.

Consider the young and old and everyone in-between 

The city should work for everyone. Well-lit, wide lanes and easy-to-navigate, traffic calming streets encourage everyone to try alternative transportation, instead of the car.

Public potties in public spaces

Safe, visible, clean public toilets are essential in making a public space thrive for more than just 50 percent of a community.

Let there be light

Adding lights at bus stops, keeping bike lanes clear and well-maintained, and consistent enforcement of road rules will bring more women to the bike yard.

Read the full article about what a gender-neutral city looks like by Lindsey Reynolds at TreeHugger.