Peak Oil Task Force Report - City of Bloomington - State of Indiana

Pedestrian Friendliness
Just how “walkable” is Bloomington? In effort to determine this, the Task Force calculated
the “WalkScore” of each of the pre‐defined 55 Natural
Neighborhoods (Map D, p. 101). 154 WalkScore measures
the walkability of an address. The WalkScore system
awards points based on proximity of an address to
destinations. Walkability falls out into the following
categories:
• 90–100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can
be accomplished on foot and many people get by
without owning a car.
• 70–89 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by
without owning a car.
• 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and
amenities are within walking distance, but many
everyday trips still require a bike, public
transportation, or car.
• 25–49 = Car­Dependent: Only a few
destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public
transportation is a must.
• 0–24 = Car­Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations
within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!
If the closest amenity in a category is within .25 miles (or .4 km), WalkScore assigns 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.
Unfortunately, our “walkability” analysis of the city reveals that no neighborhood is
considered a “Walker’s Paradise” and only seven are considered “Very Walkable.”
It should be noted that when WalkScore maps proximity to a designation, it does so
without regard to the nature of the destination. All destinations are granted equal weight:
154 www.walkscore.com
Report of the Bloomington Peak Oil Task Force
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