# Walker's Paradise: America's Most Walkable Neighborhoods



## The Cake On BBQ (May 10, 2010)

I don't understand why Latin Americans get pissed off when USA is referred as America. Everybody knows that when you say America you actually refer to USA.


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## klamedia (Nov 21, 2005)

-Corey- said:


> San Diego is more pedestrian than Los Angeles!


Los Angeles has far more densely packed neighborhoods than San Diego and a transit network that includes "true" brt, lrt and hrt that is far superior than SD's "trolley" and limited bus service. _ Even going by the very same Walkscore standards LA ranks at #9 while SD doesn't even make it into the Top Ten._ In fact LA overall gets a 67 and SD comes in at 56. SD may have one or two boutiquee gentrified neighborhoods where the former Republican suburbanites feel "safe" but that doesn't mean that it is a walkable city. Perhaps SD can be better compared to Orange County but not LA.


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## diablo234 (Aug 18, 2008)

This list is crap. How come DC, Chicago, or Boston did not rank higher?


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

The list is interesting but would have been better if they had taken aesthetics into consideration. Under their criteria, a slum or truly boring area could rank high.

"Most" walkable strikes me as a little peculiar. Once you become walkable, I'm not sure how you become "more" walkable. 

For example, what would Beverly Hills between Wilshire and Santa Monica do to become "more walkable"? Or Westwood? Or DT Pasadena? Or Santa Monica between the ocean and, say, 5th? Plenty of shopping, restaurants, bars, tourist sites, housing, etc. I suppose that more housing would bring more people to the streets. But that isn't "more walkable" that just means "walkable but crowded".


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## elrusodan (Jan 16, 2008)

IMHO, Long Beach DT should be there on the list too. Thats pretty walkable...


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## mhays (Sep 12, 2002)

The Cake On BBQ said:


> I don't understand why Latin Americans get pissed off when USA is referred as America. Everybody knows that when you say America you actually refer to USA.


Obviously not everyone "knows" that. There goes your argument.


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## mhays (Sep 12, 2002)

diablo234 said:


> This list is crap. How come DC, Chicago, or Boston did not rank higher?


Because the "scores" don't take quality into account. Last time I looked, it was all BS based on proximity to certain types of businesses.


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## klamedia (Nov 21, 2005)

pesto said:


> The list is interesting but would have been better if they had taken aesthetics into consideration. Under their criteria, a slum or truly boring area could rank high.
> 
> .


If you begin to including matters as subjective as aesthetics then it becomes "walkable for whom"?


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## klamedia (Nov 21, 2005)

elrusodan said:


> IMHO, Long Beach DT should be there on the list too. Thats pretty walkable...


If you go to Walkscore Cities Long Beach is ranked #8 and LA #9 respectively.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

klam: agreed, but how can you not be subjective here? There are probably 20 neighborhoods in SF that I would rather walk around than in the highly-rated Financial District. In fact, if I had to walk for 3 hours, I would immediatly walk out of the FD to North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf, Union Sq., SoMa or one of the hills.

To me "walkable" implies pleasant to walk in and would include good sidewalks, low traffic, attractive shops, parks, low crime, moderate crowding, etc., not just proximity to a 7-Eleven and a liquor store.


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## klamedia (Nov 21, 2005)

As LA forumers we both know that some of LA's most walkable areas are also its older and possibly higher crime ridden areas as well. But I do understand your concern.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

klam: a legitimate point that I won't deny. There can be hoods that are quite walkable but not very attractive aesthetically, and that's an OK usage as long as we clarify that we are using the word in that way. And I wouldn't deny that parts of Western, Vermont and many other streets are walkable without being particularly attractive.

But I would hate to call Harlem or SoHo in 1975 "walkable". And when LA puts in medians or upgraded streetscapes, it seems to me an area becomes more walkable.

But just for discussion sake, which is more walkable: the hood around La Cienega and Beverly or the hood around Vermont and Sunset? One is much more upscale (Sofitel vs. Motel 6; designer furniture vs. used furniture) and there are other differences; but do they go to the idea of walkability or not?


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## bayviews (Mar 3, 2006)

Interesting. 

For Milwaukee, saw a number of Yuppie sounding neighborhoods on the list. 

But not Walkers Point!


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## Clevelumbus (Oct 26, 2006)

I got a 97 where I live in north Oakland.


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## Sniper (Jan 28, 2003)

The Cake On BBQ said:


> I don't understand why Latin Americans get pissed off when USA is referred as America. Everybody knows that when you say America you actually refer to USA.


Yes, everybody knows that... But to agree with that is totally different. 

Since this part of SSC is international, I thought it was America lato-sensu, not only USA.


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## LANative (Aug 28, 2005)

WANCH said:


> Only the downtown area of San Diego. In fact I had a hard time getting around there.


Same with L.A. The most walkable part of the city is obviously downtown but then you have the Wilshire Corridor, Hollywood, Sunset Blvd, etc. just to name a few. We have pockets of walkable areas here which is better than nothing.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

LAnative: Agreed. But even highly walkable areas of LA don't get as much foot traffic as they might in other cities because they are also drivable. Good access by road and free or cheap parking is available so walking is not the only option. Westwood, Culver City, SM, mid-Wilshire, Beverly Center, Hollywood, Wilshire/Alvarado and many others fit this profile: you can get there by foot, transit or car. There will be even better connections when Expo and Purple Lines are done.


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