Is your community walkable, and why does it matter?
First, the Walk Score was established to rate the ability to do everyday activities without the use of a car. A high walkability has been linked to better health of residents, with less dependency on motor vehicles and the cost and emissions that they create. Neighborhoods are designated more walkable with the existence of a the following:
- a centre, like a main street or public square
- people - enough to support businesses and frequent transit runs
- mixed income and uses - affordable housing nearby
- parks and public spaces - to gather and play in
- schools, workplaces - near enough for most residents to walk
- complete streets - designed for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and transit
Of course, having ready access to these types of benefits can positively impact the value of properties in those neighborhoods - both for residents and businesses. Having said that, here is a sampling of communities and their Walk Scores - you can visit walkscore.com to get a score more specific to an exact address. [ultimatetables 3 /]
