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

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

End Human Sacrifices to the Demanding Gods of Automobile Dependency and Sprawl
The U.S. has much higher traffic fatality rates than peer countries due to automobile dependency and sprawl. Better planning can reduce these human sacrifices.

Seattle Transit Asked to Clarify Pet Policy
A major dog park near a new light rail stop is prompting calls to update and clarify rules for bringing pets on Seattle-area transit systems.

Oregon Bill Would End Bans on Manufactured Housing
The bill would prevent new developments from prohibiting mobile homes and modular housing.

Nashville Doesn’t Renew Bike Share Contract, Citing Lost Federal Funding
The city’s bike share system, operated by BCycle, could stop operating if the city doesn’t find a new source of funding.
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 Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions