The people around me are getting a little tired of my gushing about Portland, Oregon.  I’ve just moved here and I love it so much, I can’t shut up about it.  The term “insufferable” has been used liberally…

One of my favorite things about Portland, and specifically about my own place in the southeast quadrant, is how walkable everything is.  I don’t have a car here and I don’t miss it, either.  Everything I really need is within a fifteen minute walk or so, including so many great restaurants that I could eat a different kind of meal every day for a year and still not try everything.  So I was not at all surprised when my address scored a 91 out of 100 for its Walk Score.  (My old address got a pathetic 2.)

The Walk Score website is a great tool if you’re thinking about moving (or if you’re just curious and like to look at statistics like I do).  It can help you determine how walkable your new neighborhood is, and what kinds of conveniences are within walking distance.  Walk Score ranks 2,508 neighborhoods in America’s 40 largest cities, but you can type in any address to get a Walk Score.  Anything with a Walk Score of 90 or higher is considered a “Walker’s Paradise,” with 138 neighborhoods making the list.  Unsurprisingly, many are in New York City, where having a car is more of a hassle than a convenience, but you don’t have to live in the Big Apple to walk wherever you go.  Other pedestrian-friendly cities include San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago, Kansas City, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Boston, Sacramento, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Denver, Atlanta, and of course my beloved Rose City.

Walking and walkability aren’t just good for your health, they’re good for the community.  Of course it’s good for the environment to limit your driving, but walkable neighborhoods are great for local businesses, too.  A diverse local economy is fun for residents, as well.  There are so many little shops in my Portland neighborhood that would never succeed if people had to drive to get there, but for those of us who walk by every day, it’s great to duck inside and check out whatever they have to offer.  Hey, I’m saving money on gas, right?  I think that justifies a little time in the boutiques!  Plus, getting out and walking encourages more social interaction between you and your neighbors.  If you prefer to be anti-social, just wear some headphones.

The Walk Score website is a very fun tool, full of useful information.  Get your own walk score, use it to find better places to live, and browse the website for ideas to help make your neighborhood more pedestrian-friendly.

Would you walk more if it were more convenient?

This entry was posted on Monday, March 2nd, 2009 at 2:54 pm and is filed under Going Green. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.