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While I agree with all of this post, the last sentence caught my eye in particular.
I think for DFW, the layout of the region and their success in getting large road infrastructure projects is ironically why public transit doesn't work well there. In most cases, its simply too easy to use your car to consider public transit, exceptions being certain large events. The road system has a lot of capacity and even through the growth, it seems to be holding up pretty well. Then consider that most people live in single family housing that is fundamentally difficult to connect to robust public transit, as well as the long distances and sprawl (and the weather) and it's tough to get people out of their cars. In Houston, it's a similar situation for the most part.
So I guess another thing that may be hurting it is how uncentralized DFW really is since job hubs are all over the place and the best means of connecting really is the highways they have due to the need of flexibility.
Atlanta is different because its regional road and freeway network is so insufficient for the area's needs that it almost has to have some better public transit (which, for all of its flaws, I would consider MARTA better than both DART and Metrorail).
Yes true, I didn't consider the weather as I went this January and it was nicely in the 60's but if it gets to 100's then yeah I can definitely see that being an issue. The other thing about DFW are the emense amount of employment hubs. Plano, Frisco, Los Calina's, South/West Lake, ect - its difficult to connect suburban nodes by rail. Someone commuting from Rowland for example would have to take the Blue line all the way to Downtown Dallas, then the Red Line to Plano resulting in a commute of about 1 hour where as they could just hop on the PGBT and get there in like 15 minutes. So thats another factor.
I guess in this case what really is hurting it is how uncentralized the region is as a whole since there are so many employment hubs all over the place and the best means of connecting them is the highway due to the need for flexibility.
What are the highest walk scores in each central city?
Houston and Atlanta score 49 and Dallas has a 46.
The end of the decade isn't long enough for either one to pull away from the bunch. By 2030, Atlanta will still have the most compact and bustling downtown, but Houston will still have the most widespread density and walkability and Dallas will be the most interconnected metro overall (though I guess that's necessary due to its decentralized nature). Neither city really more urban as a whole.
Yes true, I didn't consider the weather as I went this January and it was nicely in the 60's but if it gets to 100's then yeah I can definitely see that being an issue. The other thing about DFW are the emense amount of employment hubs. Plano, Frisco, Los Calina's, South/West Lake, ect - its difficult to connect suburban nodes by rail. Someone commuting from Rowland for example would have to take the Blue line all the way to Downtown Dallas, then the Red Line to Plano resulting in a commute of about 1 hour where as they could just hop on the PGBT and get there in like 15 minutes. So thats another factor.
I guess in this case what really is hurting it is how uncentralized the region is as a whole since there are so many employment hubs all over the place and the best means of connecting them is the highway due to the need for flexibility.
That's true where Frisco and Plano comes together it's becoming its own business district to rival the central business district in Dallas with 30 story Towers for business and condos. Also Las Colinas has almost as many jobs as the central business district so it is a whole different animal than most places. The freeway or Tollway works best and most cases
The end of the decade isn't long enough for either one to pull away from the bunch. By 2030, Atlanta will still have the most compact and bustling downtown, but Houston will still have the most widespread density and walkability and Dallas will be the most interconnected metro overall (though I guess that's necessary due to its decentralized nature). Neither city really more urban as a whole.
Dallas
Downtown______________90____________6,074
Oak Lawn______________86____________23,734
Henderson_____________ 83____________3,504
Roseland_______________81____________2,507 https://www.walkscore.com/TX/Dallas
Atlanta
Atlanta has a total combined population (if I added up correctly) of 46,326 in areas with an 80 or above walkscore. https://www.walkscore.com/GA/Atlanta
I think the areas in Houston that will have the highest walk-scores at the end of the decade will be Downtown, EaDo and Mistown. Theirs also a chance some suburban redevelopment might get us a walkable suburban downtown but I doubt it.
Those populations are based on 2010 data if I recall on walkscore so take that with a grain of salt. Hopefully in a year or two, the census will make things a lot more clear.
Atlanta feels more compact and vibrant in the core
Houston is more dense
Dallas has always been meh for me. Just pure suburbia and office parks..
I agree with this, but I checked the pipeline and a lot of the projects in Dallas are going to help the density and urbanity feel a lot. Atlanta wins hands down now..but what will 2029 look like?
Dallas
Downtown______________90____________6,074
Oak Lawn______________86____________23,734
Henderson_____________ 83____________3,504
Roseland_______________81____________2,507 https://www.walkscore.com/TX/Dallas
Atlanta
Atlanta has a total combined population (if I added up correctly) of 46,326 in areas with an 80 or above walkscore. https://www.walkscore.com/GA/Atlanta
If you go by neighborhoods like the other cities all of Atlanta most walkable neighborhoods are rated with scores considerably higher
Rank Name Walk Score Transit Score Bike Score Population
Georgia State University
97 82 80 1,040
Peachtree Center
91 79 73 2,618
Buckhead Village
91 44 58 1,604
Sweet Auburn
90 72 82 1,828
South Downtown
89 81 62 1,851
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