Planning professor Doug Kelbaugh lives in one of the few neighborhoods outside Manhattan with a perfect 100 Walk Score. His brother's house in South Carolina has a Walk Score of 1. Kelbaugh reflects on the extremes, and what they mean.
Kelbaugh explains that his neighborhood in Ann Arbor, Michigan is an extreme outlier:
"Even though there are no full neighborhoods with a score of 100 in this or any other U.S. city outside of Manhattan, there are individual addresses that achieve the perfect score. Urban neighborhoods in cities like Boston, San Francisco and Seattle are full of such addresses. And at least one place in Ann Arbor, our downtown condo in the Armory on E. Ann St. ..."
From his house, Kelbaugh says that he can walk to a farmers market, a major university (his workplace), a library, concert halls, the restaurants and shops on Main Street, the local hospital, and nearby intercity bus and train stations. His brother, on the other hand, has to use one of his two cars to get anywhere because he lives in a development with an extreme suburban configuration.
"So what?" writes Kelbaugh. "Well, I would contend our walkable lifestyle is healthier, safer, cheaper, more convenient, efficient, and pleasant. But that’s a relatively subjective comparison. What’s a more objective claim is our smaller ecological footprint."
Read more over at cnu.org.
FULL STORY: Two Brothers, Two Radically Different Walk Scores
Video: Time to Urbanize Suburbia
The Washington Post's Ezra Klein suggests readers watch this 20-minute TED video featuring Georgia Tech's Ellen Dunham Jones, author of "Retrofitting Suburbia." Jones talks to the importance of making suburbs greener by retrofitting to urbanize them.
What the ‘Walk Score’ Misses
A popular walkability assessment omits key factors that impact different demographics and can direct development resources to already wealthy neighborhoods.
Orlando Pledges to Improve Walkability
A city report highlights successes and failures in building safer transportation infrastructure and reducing VMT in 2023.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
Virginia Law Allows Judges to Mandate Speed Limiters
The law could set a new precedent for speed limiting tech on U.S. vehicles.
Comment: EPA Cuts will Send Atlanta Back to Eye-burning Ozone, Lung-damaging Smog, and Raw Sewage in the Chattahoochee River
A veteran political journalist takes stock of the hard-earned ground Georgia stands to lose with slashed environmental protection.
How Community Science Connects People, Parks, and Biodiversity
Community science engages people of all backgrounds in documenting local biodiversity, strengthening connections to nature, and contributing to global efforts like the City Nature Challenge to build a more inclusive and resilient future.
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.
City of Santa Clarita
Ascent Environmental
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service