Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The 20 most walkable cities in the US according to CNTraveler:
1. New York
2. Boston
3. Washington, D.C.
4. Seattle
5. Portland
6. San Francisco
7. Chicago
8. Los Angeles
9. Pittsburgh
10.Philadelphia
11.Minneapolis-St. Paul
12. Miami
13. Charlotte
14. Austin
15. Atlanta
16. Denver
17. Cleveland
18. Houston
19. Columbus
20. Baltimore
Some very questionable rankings in there, and the criteria is pretty vague, but these lists are usually click-bait anyway
Philadelphia that low in particular is pretty striking.
The 20 most walkable cities in the US according to CNTraveler:
1. New York
2. Boston
3. Washington, D.C.
4. Seattle
5. Portland
6. San Francisco
7. Chicago
8. Los Angeles
9. Pittsburgh
10.Philadelphia
11.Minneapolis-St. Paul
12. Miami
13. Charlotte
14. Austin
15. Atlanta
16. Denver
17. Cleveland
18. Houston
19. Columbus
20. Baltimore
Some very questionable rankings in there, and the criteria is pretty vague, but these lists are usually click-bait anyway
Philadelphia that low in particular is pretty striking.
Charlotte Atlanta Austin and Houston shouldn't be in the top twenty walkable list for dailylife. I think this is considering walkable areas for tourists.
You aren't kidding... LA and Charlotte are more walkable than Baltimore and Cleveland ... with B'more at the bottom of the list. Seriously?
Not saying I agree with the rankings, but the proximity to amenities may play into the results?
For example, Philadelphia at #10 struck me as odd because in the most basic form, Philadelphia is extremely walk-able. However, many neighborhoods are nothing like Center City in terms of proximity to amenities and transit, which I guess is the reason why it isn't ranked higher?
Per the article...
So what exactly makes a city walkable? The final list is determined by combining two key walkability metrics, according to Rodriguez, who co-authored the report: the EPA’s Smart Location Database and the American Enterprise Institute's Walkable Oriented Development Database. The two databases assign walkability scores based on different factors, the main one being if people can walk from their residences to essential “amenities” such as grocery stores, offices, and gyms, explains Rodriguez. The EPA database also factors in a city's built environment, like the distance between blocks and access to public transportation, he adds.
Charlotte Atlanta Austin and Houston shouldn't be in the top twenty walkable list for dailylife. I think this is considering walkable areas for tourists.
Yeah but then the question is who do you replace them with? There’s a handful of cities in the top 10 or so that are much much more walkable than the rest then a steep drop.
Charlotte Atlanta Austin and Houston shouldn't be in the top twenty walkable list for dailylife. I think this is considering walkable areas for tourists.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpomp
Not saying I agree with the rankings, but the proximity to amenities may play into the results?
For example, Philadelphia at #10 struck me as odd because in the most basic form, Philadelphia is extremely walk-able. However, many neighborhoods are nothing like Center City in terms of proximity to amenities and transit, which I guess is the reason why it isn't ranked higher?
Per the article...
So what exactly makes a city walkable? The final list is determined by combining two key walkability metrics, according to Rodriguez, who co-authored the report: the EPA’s Smart Location Database and the American Enterprise Institute's Walkable Oriented Development Database. The two databases assign walkability scores based on different factors, the main one being if people can walk from their residences to essential “amenities” such as grocery stores, offices, and gyms, explains Rodriguez. The EPA database also factors in a city's built environment, like the distance between blocks and access to public transportation, he adds.
True. If this is for daily life then Charlotte, Atlanta, Austin and Houston definitely should be in the top 20. AND, I think it's the opposite of what the poster I quoted above thinks. These 4 cities, especially the latter, isn't all that great for tourists to walk around, but in residential neighborhoods there are amenities such as gas station corner stores on just about every major road .
A corner store isn't sexy for tourists, but if you are in a bind you can get milk, eggs, soda and snacks pretty much within a 15 minute walk. Some of the older cities that we automatically think of when we think of walkability have extremely walkable cores but because a lot of those city neighborhoods predate the popularization of the automobile these neighborhoods are not built like the more modern sunbelt cities. There isn't a gas station or a strip center on every arterial street.
On fortunately discussions of walkability usually has a yuppified slant. We usually lean towards boutiques, fancy coffee or bagel shops. Typically feel good excesses rather than NEEDS. Houston for example is 100% walkable to stay alive but it's not the Center City walkable usually discussed. LA is even a better example of that. I really love the bus system in LA. I found using it for every day errands really convenient. Hitting up different tourist attractions in a tight schedule on the otherhand isn't as convenient.
So although Conde Nast is geared to tourism, I don't think the 4 quoted cities ranking is geared more to tourism because these don't have a lot of touristy walk spots but are more convenient for the more banal aspects of walking. Cornerstones, laundromats, strip centers, fast food, liquor stores, smoke shops.... Are on every major street.
Another thing that is becoming highly popular across the Sunbelt is hike/ bike trails.
I'm not talking about bike lanes, but actual off road lanes that get people outdoors and moving. A lot of cities use abandoned railroad ROW, but Houston has taken it a step further by lining waterways with trails. The city is crossed with bayous and drainage lanes, so it's a good opportunity for linear parks and trails. The Houston Parks and Recreation Authority maintains over 163 miles of hike and bike trails.. These sunbelt cities are getting people outside walking a lot more than you think. But again it isn't the sexy walk to catch a cup of coffee type of walkability. A lot of these areas though do not have the concentration of amenities you would find in a place like center city so they won't be ranking high on walkscore anytime soon. Walkscore operates under the theory of taking a short walk and everything is right there. This is very convenient if you are running all errands at once. Spots that rank really low on walkscore though may still be just as accessible to amenities. They are just not as concentrated. Your cleaners may be 15 minutes one way but the pharmacy is 12 minutes from home in the opposite direction from the cleaners. It may be convenient if you are doing both on one outing, but if not, then the concentration of amenities means less to you.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
