Walk Score - How walkable is your house?

[kard]

This was on digg yesterday.  It scores an address based on what's near enough to walk to.

How it works:  "Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc."

How it doesn't work:  "We'll be the first to admit that Walk Score is just an approximation of walkability. There are a number of factors that contribute to walkability that are not part of our algorithm:  ... "

http://www.walkscore.com/get-score.shtml

Mine was a 60.  My folk's house in Blue Springs...was a 9.  barf!

[KCTigerFan]

Cool site.

Mine is a 74!  Woo hoo!!!   

Brookside.

[Tosspot]

I got 74 also, right around Westport Rd and the West Plaza.

[Joe KC]

Mine was 72 -- did I mention that my place is for sale in this thread: http://forum.kcrag.com/index.php/topic,12551.0.html
:)

[LenexatoKCMO]

75 for the freighthouse district

[KansasCityCraka]

I know I live in the Suburbs but I got a 55, not bad really considering most of the places it listed aren't really that walkable.

[DaveKCMO]

75 for me.

[lock+load]

72 at 10th & Baltimore

Parents house got a zero.

[WSPanic]

77!

[kard]

grain of salt:

How It Doesn't Work: Known Issues with Walk Score

We'll be the first to admit that Walk Score is just an approximation of walkability. There are a number of factors that contribute to walkability that are not part of our algorithm:

    * Street width: Narrow streets are better for walking because they slow traffic.
    * Block length: Short blocks make it easier to navigate the grid.
    * Freeways: Freeways can divide neighborhoods and hurt walkability.
    * Public transit: Good public transit is important for walkable neighborhoods.
    * Safety: How much crime is in the neighborhood? How many traffic accidents are there? Are crosswalks well marked and streets well lit?
    * Aesthetics: Are the sidewalks shaded by trees? Are there appealing parks and public spaces?
    * Pedestrian-friendly design: Are buildings close to the sidewalk with parking in back? If buildings have large parking lots in front, they are less inviting to pedestrians.

As MarlonBain said, "You should use the Web 3.0 app called going outside and investigating the world for yourself" before deciding whether a neighborhood is walkable!

[LenexatoKCMO]

grain of salt:

True - some of the amenities that they listed for me weren't really all that useful and/or likely to get used.  For instance my walkable grocery store they gave me points for was the little mexican food store over on summit that I haven't set foot in over the two years I have lived here. 

[kard]

True - some of the amenities that they listed for me weren't really all that useful and/or likely to get used.  For instance my walkable grocery store they gave me points for was the little mexican food store over on summit that I haven't set foot in over the two years I have lived here.

or like getting points for having a drive-in theater nearby. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

or like getting points for having a drive-in theater nearby. 

I guess you could take a blanket and sit out on the ground.  Not much backseat privacy that way though. 

[DaveKCMO]

For instance my walkable grocery store they gave me points for was the little mexican food store over on summit that I haven't set foot in over the two years I have lived here. 

has anyone been in there? i don't make tamales often. do they at least have milk?

[staubio]

It is pretty much useless. I got a 52 in the River Market. How the heck is that less walkable than West Plaza? I've lived in both, I can certainly attest to the River Market's walk ability for basics.

Also, half of the stuff on my list isn't relevant or even open anymore and anything that is relatively new isn't included at all, which would account for a lot in the River Market.

[loftguy]

has anyone been in there? i don't make tamales often. do they at least have milk?

At Los Alamos?  Simple basics, both anglo and mexican.  The prepared food is very good and the people working there are humble, inviting and generous.

I guess you could take a blanket and sit out on the ground.  Not much backseat privacy that way though. 

Ummm, thought of going under the blanket?

[kcmetro]

69 for me! That's ALWAYS a good number. 

[schugg]

74

[KCMax]

62 in Roeland Park/Mission, and that score should go up as we get new development.

[riebschlager]

ok... so when was there ever a captain d's at 5805 Main St?