Angie Schmitt shares news of an effort by WalkScore to rank cities based on the ability of residents to access grocery stores on foot. WalkScore invites planners all over country to use their data to improve walkable access to food in cities.

A new article on Streetsblog USA by Angie Schmitt details a new ranking and visualization by WalScore, which complied data on the best and worst cities for walking to the grocery store. No surprise at the top—in New York City, 72 percent of its residents can access grocery stores in five minutes or less by walking.
Here’s how Sshmitt explains the methodology of the rankings: “Walk Score used its algorithm to cross-reference millions of walking routes with its database of grocery store locations. Then it ranked cities with populations over 500,000 according to the share of residents who can walk to a grocery store in five minutes.”
The visualization—and Schmitt’s coverage of the rankings—are meant in part to inspire cities to collaborate with WalkScore in working to improve pedestrian access to grocery stores. In fact, “[cities] including San Jose, California, are using tools from Walk Score to examine and address local food access issues."
FULL STORY: The 5 Cities Where It’s Easiest — and Hardest — to Walk to the Grocery Store

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland