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Not to familiar with New Orleans. Can someone explain why it's so good?
New Orleans (at least a desirable section of the city) is just as compact or more so than NE cities, and certainly anywhere in the Midwest or West...it just isn't a big metro.
Well Dallas and Denver both have really good light rail and decent bus service, so I don't see how it's obvious.
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Originally Posted by grapico
New Orleans (at least a desirable section of the city) is just as compact or more so than NE cities, and certainly anywhere in the Midwest or West...it just isn't a big metro.
Isn't that just for a very small area though?
EDIT: Oh, this isn't just about public transportation. I agree that NOLA is better for getting around without a car. At least in the center of the city.
Nashville does not score very well in this area. There are some walkable and bikeable neighborhoods within a few miles of downtown, and public transit is OK there...but once you get about 3-5 miles from downtown, you are almost completely car dependent. It also doesn't help that most of the shopping is outside of the urban core as well.
You could do it, but you would probably feel like you are on an island.
I will say, it has improved remarkably in the past decade. There is a huge amount of construction in the urban neighborhoods, and increased amenities...but there is a long way to go. You can get most of the really basic amenities within a close range, but any real shopping would be a chore.
Well Dallas and Denver both have really good light rail and decent bus service, so I don't see how it's obvious.
Isn't that just for a very small area though?
EDIT: Oh, this isn't just about public transportation. I agree that NOLA is better for getting around without a car. At least in the center of the city.
Probably bigger area than Denver, though Denver is surprisingly walkable. I spent almost a week there car free except when I went to the mountains. Even took the bus over to Boulder. I mostly ventured around DT, Capitol Hill, LoDo. ...
Just looked at a map and trying to remember... I mostly stayed confined to North of 1st, West of Colorado Ave, South of 40th, and just a bit west of the neighborhood around Cuernacava Park. It wasn't that bad, and I'd still want a car, but I could definitely do car-lite in that area.
Austin is starting to lean more car friendly. The only way I see if you need a car is if your out in the suburbs. Other than that we have buses, including new 60ft buses that just recently open to the public on Sunday, also you can take the B- Cycle across town if needed, or take the red line commuter rail. I know the commuter rail isn't very efficient for many but it does help reduce cars off the roads.
Here's my list ( Not in Order)
1. Denver
2. Dallas
3. New Orleans
4. Charlotte
5. Austin
Well Dallas and Denver both have really good light rail and decent bus service, so I don't see how it's obvious.
Because New Orleans is more dense and walkable. Dallas is much less dense outside of the core.
Quote:
Isn't that just for a very small area though?
EDIT: Oh, this isn't just about public transportation. I agree that NOLA is better for getting around without a car. At least in the center of the city.
No it's not just a small area. Walkalbe neighborhoods go as far as Carrolton and Gentilly. Without a car, I would rather be in New Orleans outside of the core than Dallas outside the core.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoninATX
Austin is starting to lean more car friendly. The only way I see if you need a car is if your out in the suburbs. Other than that we have buses, including new 60ft buses that just recently open to the public on Sunday, also you can take the B- Cycle across town if needed, or take the red line commuter rail. I know the commuter rail isn't very efficient for many but it does help reduce cars off the roads.
Here's my list ( Not in Order)
1. Denver
2. Dallas
3. New Orleans
4. Charlotte
5. Austin
Not sure about the other cities listed
I'm wondering why you listed them if they weren't in order?
Denver and New Orleans would be the top of my list since they have the strongest cores of the cities asked about. Now, one can easily be carless in downtown Orlando or CLT, or DAL, or AUS (you get the idea) if you live a very planned out life with work and home close together and in a dense pocket as all these cities have. To be honest, all of the cities on this list have rough public transit situations if you want to traverse the entire town or metro area when compared with Chicago, NYC, Boston, SanFran, etc.
Biking seems pretty easy in New Orleans, it's flat and streets don't move fast enough to cause traffic.
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