Going beyond the analytical parameters of the popular Walk Score website, a new site aims to broaden the scope of analysis to include more qualitative information, such as safety and streetscape, in determining which areas are pedestrian friendly.
As walkable urbanism emerges as a new paradigm in real estate development, and studies demonstrate the value of walkable places to economic and personal health, the marketplace for defining and rating places friendly to pedestrians is rapidly expanding. Ben Schiller profiles Walkonomics, a new site that aims to provide a new tool for measuring walkability by aiming to build "as comprehensive a picture as possible."
"Services such as Walk Score
already score proximity to restaurants and shops (and more); how long
your commute is; and allow you to compare areas. But, according to Adam
Davies [founder of the site], that's only part of the story of walkability. Ideally, you also
want to know things like how safe the streets are, whether the sidewalks
are wide enough, how clear the signage is, and also--less tangibly--how
clean the street is, and whether it's relaxing and fun. Distance, in
other words, is not the only factor--perhaps not even the most important
factor."
"Currently covering about 600,000 streets in the U.K. and U.S., the site
is based on a mixture of government-sourced open data, and crowd-sourced
information from users. Streets are scored across eight categories,
based on data like traffic activity and crime statistics. Users can then
give their own impressions, shifting the scores over time."
FULL STORY: A New Site Calculates Your Neighborhood’s Walkability

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service