[http://www.walkscore.com/how-it-works.shtml] <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="Preview" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_preview.wmf"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>  </style><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="Preview" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_preview.wmf"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>  </style> Here is an interesting tool that Christopher Hart, Director of Urban and Transit Projects of the Institute for Human Centered Design in Boston brought to our attention in the last days:- Walk Score <o:p></o:p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kbTo-M_pSuw/SdMsgW8yhSI/AAAAAAAAAgo/g3g2GzFHhdo/s1600-h/walk-score.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kbTo-M_pSuw/SdMsgW8yhSI/AAAAAAAAAgo/g3g2GzFHhdo/s400/walk-score.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319644519282672930" border="0" /></a><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="Preview" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_preview.wmf"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>  </style> <h1 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"> </h1><h1 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">To quote from their webpage on “How It Works”<o:p></o:p></h1> <o:p> </o:p> 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. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <h2 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">What does my score mean? Your Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:<o:p></o:p></h2> <h2 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"> <o:p></o:p></h2> 90–100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car. <o:p></o:p> 70–89 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car. <o:p></o:p> 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car. <o:p></o:p> 25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must. <o:p></o:p> 0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car! <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <h2 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">The Walk Score™ Algorithm: Walk Score uses a patent-pending system to measure the walkability of an address. The Walk Score algorithm awards points based on the distance to the closest amenity in each category. If the closest amenity in a category is within .25 miles (or .4 km), we assign the maximum number of points. The number of points declines as the distance approaches 1 mile (or 1.6 km)—no points are awarded for amenities further than 1 mile. Each category is weighted equally and the points are summed and normalized to yield a score from 0–100. The number of nearby amenities is the leading predictor of whether people walk. (Your Walk Score may change as our data sources are updated or as we improve our algorithm. Check out how Walk Score <a href="http://www.walkscore.com/how-it-doesnt-work.shtml">doesn't work</a>. <o:p></o:p></h2> <h2 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"> </h2> <h3 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">What do you think makes a neighborhood walkable? We built the Walk Score algorithm to measure the factors that we think are important to walkability. What makes a neighborhood walkable to you? <a href="http://www.walkscore.com/contact-us.shtml">Let us know</a> and we'll publish your answers on <a href="http://blog.walkscore.com/">our blog</a>. <o:p></o:p></h3> <h3 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"> </h3> == end ==<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> For the rest click to <a href="http://www.walkscore.com/">http://www.walkscore.com/</a><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Now the World Streets angle on this. Until now their algorithm works only in the US. So we got in touch and asked about what would be needed to make this into an international tool. To which they answered “we are looking into how we can open source Walk Score to collaborate with people on making it work better internationally. We're a small, but hard working, team so we're not there yet, but we hope to be soon.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> So if you have any ideas about how to bring this (or something like it) to your city, you may want to exchange some thoughts with Mike Maisen at <a href="mailto:maisen@frontseat.org">maisen@frontseat.org . </a>And keep us informed, since I am sure that many of us living outside the US would like to see how our city stacks up. (I know I would.)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The Editor<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> -- Posted By Eric Britton (Paris, France) to <a href="http://newmobilityagenda.blogspot.com/2009/04/toolbox-walk-score-your-city.html">World Streets</a> at 4/01/2009 07:39:00 AM