Written by Failure Analysisas part of
I just heard about a great Web site called walkscore.com, which helps users find the most walkable apartments, homes, and rentals. Simply type in an address or city/state, and the site spits out a “Walk Score,” which rates that town or address on a scale of 0-100. Any score below 50 is described as “car-dependent.” Other classifications include:
Somewhat walkable: some amenities within walking distance.
Very walkable: most errands can be accomplished on foot.
Walker’s paradise: Daily errands do not require a car.
Why does walkability matter?
Walkable addresses tend to be more valuable, and the average resident of a walkable community is healthier and weighs less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood. Another benefit of living in a walkable neighborhood is that you spend much less time in traffic (traffic being a huge issue in Atlanta, for example). Never mind that you’re less likely to be involved in a car accident, and living in a walkable place is better for the environment, because “your feet are zero-pollution transportation machines,” as Walk Score’s Web site puts it. I would imagine that Dan Burden – who Failure once described as “the pied piper of walking” – loves Seattle-based Walk Score.