Worcester Has a “Walkability” Problem — Ranks Lowest of New England Cities
Friday, June 24, 2016
“Walkability is about convenience, quality of life and everything outside the four walls of a house. When you live near the people and places you enjoy most, you can spend less time and money on transit and more time doing what you love,” said Redfin, the author of the report.
Boston ranks #3 overall among cities in the United Stated with a “walkability” score of 81. According to the report -- New York City is the most walkable city in America.
“Improving a city’s Walk Score takes work. In these communities, construction crews have built an invitation for walking,” said Eric Scharnhorst, livability analyst at Redfin. “Safer sidewalks are now connected to a greater variety of everyday amenities. This creates opportunities for both local businesses and families.”
Presently, Worcester does not connect -- many neighborhoods are cutoff from one another by 290 and other developments. New downtown residential apartments that are now under construction -- Front Street and City Square are now in development.
New England Rankings:
Boston, MA recorded a Walk Score of 81
Providence, RI recorded a Walk Score of 78
Hartford, CT recorded Walk Score of 71
Portland, ME recorded a Walk Score of 60
Springfield, MA recorded a Walk Score of 58
Worcester had a Walk Score of 56
Walkability offers surprising benefits to our health, the environment, our finances, and our communities.
Health: The average resident of a walkable neighborhood weighs 6-10 pounds less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood.1
Cities with good public transit and access to amenities promote happiness.
Environment: 82% of CO2 emissions are from burning fossil fuels. Your feet are zero-pollution transportation machines.
Finances: Cars are the second largest household expense in the U.S. One point of Walk Score is worth up to $3,000 of value for your property.
Communities: Studies show that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10%.
Related Articles
- Residents Blast Worcester Sidewalk Expansion for Traffic Problems
- Worcester to Crack Down on Sidewalk Snow Clean-Up
- Worcester Has Issued $17,550 in Sidewalk Citations This Winter
- See the List: Worcester Residents and Businesses Issued Sidewalk Citations
- Worcester is the Least Walkable Big City in Massachusetts
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