Kansas City Walkability

I stumbled across this this week. It's a website called "Walk Score" that approximates the walkability of cities and neighborhoods in the 40 largest cities in the US. A neighborhood's walkability is based on the distance to major amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, schools and parks.  The walkability score is determined based on how close one is to these amenities.

Kansas City, as a whole, finished 34th out of the 40 cities that are covered in overall walkability with a score of 44 out of 100 -- besting Memphis, Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Nashville and Jacksonville.

However, many of Kansas City's older neighborhoods scored extremely well.  Here are the top 13 neighborhoods in Kansas City -- with their score (maximum is 100)

Old Westport: 99

Plaza: 95

Plaza/Westport: 93

Hanover Place: 91

Volker: 89

Valentine: 89

Southmoreland: 87

South Plaza: 86

West Plaza: 86

North Hyde Park: 84

Union Hill: 84

Broadway/Gillham: 83

I would imagine downtown (which is next on the list at 79) will improve once they get the new downtown grocery store on the list.  In total, 24 of Kansas City's 138 neighborhoods scored as VERY Walkable ar as a Walker's paradise.

While Kansas City's overall score is quite low -- largely because of many large areas in the Northland, down south and in the far East -- it is nice to know that Kansas City does have some very walkable neighborhoods -- which are being sought more and more by young professionals and young families. 

It also has more than its fair share of suburban style neighborhoods for people who prefer those.

The US's most walkable city?  San Francisco.

Hat tip: PSFK.

Comments

[Eric]

I would bet KC would score much higher if we were more successful at attracting retail back into the urban core. The East Side and Old Northeast have a very walkable urban form, but lack many destinations like grocery stores, shops, pharmacies, etc.

Not only do we have large areas of unwalkable development, but also large areas of walkable development that simply lack places worth walking to.

[Brent]

Eric,

I completely agree. In fact, the 3 areas that scored the best reflect this -- because they rely on the retail on the Plaza, Westport and 39th Street areas.

The Plaza is a bit of a different area, but Westport and 39th Street should be the lead examples for areas like Troost, Independence Ave and others on attracting retail that is worth going to.

Where did these areas succeed? What can we do to encourage local entrepreneurs to open up businesses in these areas? Take away things like parking restrictions that make it difficult? Pressure owners of empty, unused buildings to actually sell that property to people who intend to use it? Provide incentives for locally owned small businesses?

I'm not 100% sure what the answer is...