Just found out about a site called Walk Score today. It uses Google Maps data to calculate a walkability score for any address based on how close it is to services like grocery stores, restaurants, schools, etc. For instance, my house got a “walker’s paradise” 91 (out of 100), while my work got only a 63. Still, not bad for San Diego.
It’s a simple but powerful idea; now I have a benchmark to use when deciding between hotels on vacation or (eventually) deciding which house to buy. Perhaps it’ll encourage more neighborhoods to become walkable…
House gets a 52 out of 100. Not so great. It’s also not very…discerning. It points out that we have a theater within walking distance! But the theater is the Red Barn Adult Theater. Not one I’d really want to walk NEAR let alone walk TO.
And my work gets a walk score of 20/100. So this site is just depressing. Sigh.
My house gets a 65 out of 100. Most things are within half a mile; not too bad.
My work, on the other hand, gets a 2. That’s right, a big whopping 2. And that only because there’s a touristy little market a couple miles down the road. Guess it’s not calibrated for farmland. :)