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The definition of walkable seems a little ambiguous in this thread.
In Los Angeles, you can start at the One Wilshire building downtown and walk 16 miles through nothing but walkable urban neighborhoods until you literally run into the ocean (I've done this). You can take a similar, even longer walk from Sunset where it starts at Figueroa through DTLA, Silverlake, Echo Park, Hollywood, etc. to the Palisades.
I anxiously await to hear what the Seattle equivalent to this is, as there of course must be one to attribute for their strong poll showing.
I've got a similar walk DTLA-Echo Park-Silver Lake-Atwater Village...sometimes into Glendale.
Problem is there a lot of dead spots with few pedestrians or retail, and the 101 underpass can be a challenge.
Safeco Field-Pioneer Square-DT Seattle-Belltown (or Capitol Hill)-South Lake Union is a much denser, practical walk. LA is improving, but nowhere near Seattle yet for walkability.
I've got a similar walk DTLA-Echo Park-Silver Lake-Atwater Village...sometimes into Glendale.
Problem is there a lot of dead spots with few pedestrians or retail, and the 101 underpass can be a challenge.
Safeco Field-Pioneer Square-DT Seattle-Belltown (or Capitol Hill)-South Lake Union is a much denser, practical walk. LA is improving, but nowhere near Seattle yet for walkability.
Safeco to South Lake Union is a 2.6 mile walk according to Google Maps.
DTLA to Glendale is 8.1 miles. Purposely through hilly suburban neighborhoods.
Staples Center to Chinatown is a 3 mile walk. No urban break there.
Arts District to MacArthur Park is 3 miles. No urban break.
Arts District to MacArthur Park is 3 miles. No urban break.
Arts District to City Hall to Fig down to Staples is actually a great walk...but one block in the wrong direction and its Skid Row.
Safeco to SLU might be "only" 2.6 miles, but it's far denser and one block in the wrong direction gets you to a new restaurant you might want to check out sometime. Also can detour into Capitol Hill and up Queen Anne Hill for the exercise.
LA is getting better, but I've walked both cities extensively, and Seattle's a clear winner.
Arts District to City Hall to Fig down to Staples is actually a great walk...but one block in the wrong direction and its Skid Row.
Safeco to SLU might be "only" 2.6 miles, but it's far denser and one block in the wrong direction gets you to a new restaurant you might want to check out sometime. Also can detour into Capitol Hill and up Queen Anne Hill for the exercise.
LA is getting better, but I've walked both cities extensively, and Seattle's a clear winner.
I'll give you that, that a wrong turn could lead you to Skid Row and that's not the best place to walk through...potentially one of the worst places you could ever walk through. I just had to point out that the walk from DTLA to Glendale is a terrible example of urbanity in LA. There's a reason I don't live in LA and moved to NYC though; LA has some walkable streets, but nothing compares to walking around NYC in every direction and finding something new for mile after mile.
I'll give you that, that a wrong turn could lead you to Skid Row and that's not the best place to walk through...potentially one of the worst places you could ever walk through. I just had to point out that the walk from DTLA to Glendale is a terrible example of urbanity in LA. There's a reason I don't live in LA and moved to NYC though; LA has some walkable streets, but nothing compares to walking around NYC in every direction and finding something new for mile after mile.
And to be fair, the original Skid Row was actually in Pioneer Square (seriously, look up the origin of that term) and there are some blocks in Pioneer Square and the International District that remain a bit sketchy - so there are parts of Seattle’s urban core where walking off the beaten isn’t exactly pleasant either.
I think St. Louis is a pretty dense downtown core that's walkable. it's literally only JUST west of the Mississippi but its still west.
New Orleans stradles the Mississippi though most of its walkable neighborhoods are east, though Algiers Point is kind of walkable.
Yeah, I noted earlier in the thread that St. Louis was an accidental omission. Minneapolis straddles the Mississippi too but I included it since Downtown and most of the urban areas are West of it. The urban parts of New Orleans, as you mentioned, are primarily East of the river.
Yeah, I noted earlier in the thread that St. Louis was an accidental omission. Minneapolis straddles the Mississippi too but I included it since Downtown and most of the urban areas are West of it. The urban parts of New Orleans, as you mentioned, are primarily East of the river.
If we want to get REALLY technical, the urban parts of New Orleans are on the east, north AND west sides of the Mississippi River from a strictly geographical standpoint
And to be fair, the original Skid Row was actually in Pioneer Square (seriously, look up the origin of that term) and there are some blocks in Pioneer Square and the International District that remain a bit sketchy - so there are parts of Seattle’s urban core where walking off the beaten isn’t exactly pleasant either.
Yesler Avenue was originally a "skid road" used to skid logs down from First Hill to the Yesler Mill on Elliott Bay. Eventually, after Yesler became a street, the whole area south of it, today's Pioneer Square, Seattle's original "red light" district, became known as "Skid Road". A "Skid Row" is in L.A. - which was the original one (there, in the Bowery, or elsewhere) is up for debate.
Seattle, as a whole, bisected by high hills and deep lakes (and bays) is not very "walkable", in the ordinary sense. Its different neighborhoods can be quite walkable, however, in the sense of offering variegated and entertaining streetscapes and landscapes, many offering stunning views. While tramping around Capitol Hill or Queen Anne Hill can be fun, walking between them might not be.
Yesler Avenue was originally a "skid road" used to skid logs down from First Hill to the Yesler Mill on Elliott Bay. Eventually, after Yesler became a street, the whole area south of it, today's Pioneer Square, Seattle's original "red light" district, became known as "Skid Road". A "Skid Row" is in L.A. - which was the original one (there, in the Bowery, or elsewhere) is up for debate.
Seattle, as a whole, bisected by high hills and deep lakes (and bays) is not very "walkable", in the ordinary sense. Its different neighborhoods can be quite walkable, however, in the sense of offering variegated and entertaining streetscapes and landscapes, many offering stunning views. While tramping around Capitol Hill or Queen Anne Hill can be fun, walking between them might not be.
The term Skid Row to describe an impoverished area did originate in Seattle. It was derived from Skid Road. There’s not really much debate on this.
I agree that walking is not ideal for getting between neighborhoods in Seattle. It’s why I voted for Portland.
Last edited by Vincent_Adultman; 12-21-2018 at 12:41 PM..
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