So you know your walkability score? It’s easy to find out. Simply go to walkscore.com and type in your address. You’ll get a score between 1-100. Higher is better. Scores between 90-100 mean you live in a “walker’s paradise” where daily errands do not require a car. The site also shows you a list of nearby amenities and a map.
What makes a neighborhood or city highly walkable according to walkscore.com?
* A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a center, whether it’s a main street or a public space.
* People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to run frequently.
* Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable housing located near businesses.
* Parks and public space: Plenty of public places to gather and play.
* Pedestrian design: Buildings are close to the street, parking lots are relegated to the back.
* Schools and workplaces: Close enough that most residents can walk from their homes.
* Complete streets: Streets designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit.
* Walkscore.com was created by Front Seat, a civic software company, launched in 2006. It was inspired by the work of the Sightline Institute, a public policy research institute in the Northwest.
