How car-dependent are you in your community? Do you ever walk to the grocery store? Are there sidewalks available throughout your town? You may or may not have stumbled upon the Walk Score website before. It’s fabulous- whether you’re looking for a place to live or just trying to get a better understanding of somewhere you are visiting, I highly recommend checking this out. All you do is type in your address and it will calculate a score based on walking proximity to certain amenities such as parks, schools, grocery stores, churches, gyms, coffee shops, etc. Keep in mind that the algorithm they use on this site does not take into account the beauty of your surroundings, the safeness of your neighborhood or the quality of your grocery stores– it’s simply about proximity. However, I think this is a great tool for understanding pedestrian limitations and possibilities. You might find that you’re closer to your local library than you thought or that it’s nearly impossible to get anywhere without loading up your family in the car. Go ahead, check it out. What’s your score?
I think knowledge is power and the reason I’m bringing all this up is not just because I get great bragging rights for my location (thumbs up, Portland!) but because there is actually something you can DO about it. I stumbled upon the Walk Friendly Communities program through the Let’s Move blog. “Walk Friendly Communities (WFC) is a national recognition program developed to encourage towns and cities across the U.S. to establish or recommit to a high priority for supporting safer walking environments. The WFC program will recognize communities that are working to improve a wide range of conditions related to walking, including safety, mobility, access, and comfort.” If you are concerned about the “walkability” of your community, contact your local government officials and encourage them to apply for this program. There is absolutely nothing to lose. It is free to apply. The WFC review panel will score your application and give recognition to those communities doing outstanding jobs and recommendations for those who are looking to make their towns more pedestrian-friendly. Pretty cool, huh? Check out the website for more information. Applications are due December 15, 2010.
So, what’s your score? And are you going to do anything about it?
PS. On the Walk Friendly Communities homepage there is a picture of a park in my neighborhood- how crazy is that? First picture on the left. :)
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