Walk Score: Cool Green Google Map Mashup
By Lloyd Alter
Walking matters. A walkable community
promotes better health, reduction in
greenhouse gases, more transportation
options, increased social capital and
stronger local businesses." Treehugger
has noted before that suburbs make you
fat because it's hard to walk anywhere.
Or, as St. Augustine noted, "Solvitur
Ambulando." So how walkable is it where
you live? Find out with Walk Score,
which "uses a patent-pending algorithm
to calculate the walkability of an
address based on:
* The distance to walkable locations
near an address.
* Calculating a score for each of these
locations.
* Combining these scores into one easy
to read Walk Score."
You type in your address and it puts it
on a Google map and gives it a score. 70
to 90 is very walkable; 90 to a hundred
is a walker's paradise. We nailed a 78!
Use this fabulous tool before your next
move. ::Walk Score found by ::Odograph
at Grist
Walkable communities tend to have the
following characteristics:
* A center: Walkable neighborhoods have
a discernable center, whether it's a
shopping district, a main street, or a
public space.
* Density: The neighborhood is compact,
rather than spread out, which brings
people closer to stores and jobs and
makes public transportation more cost
effective.
* Mixed income, mixed use: Housing is
provided for everyone who works in the
neighborhood: young and old, singles and
families, rich and poor. Businesses and
residences are located near each other.
* Parks and public space: There are
plenty of public places to gather and play.
* Accessibility: The neighborhood is
accessible to everyone and has
wheelchair access, plenty of benches
with shade, sidewalks on all streets, etc.
* Well connected, speed controlled
streets: Streets form a connected grid
that improves traffic by providing many
routes to any destination. Streets are
narrow to control speed, and shaded by
trees to protect pedestrians.
* Pedestrian-centric design: Buildings
are placed close to the street to cater
to foot traffic, with parking lots
relegated to the back.
* Close schools and workplaces: Schools
and workplaces are close enough that
most residents can walk from their homes.
