Comments on: Walkability Rankings: Oklahoma City #35

By: dustbury.com » Doing the stroll

dustbury.com » Doing the stroll — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:13:13 +0000

[...] Blair Humphreys finds the methodology a bit too simplistic: [T]heir “algorithm” simply measures the proximity of amenities from a given point. So anything within ¼ mile of a mall would receive the highest rating and while it is true that malls are incredibly walkable (when you are inside), it is not true that malls create walkable neighborhoods — in fact, it is quite the opposite when surrounded by parking. This is also true of densely lined retail arterials like May Avenue. While they certainly provide access to a number of retailers and amenities within a short range of distance, very few people would actually walk from shopping center to shopping center and consider the experience enjoyable. A few better ways to measure walkability in my opinion would either attempt to include measures for the elements listed above or would simply count the number of people actually walking. After all, what good is “walkability” if no one walks? But what do you do if it is “bad walkability” and everyone walks? [...]

By: BatesLine

BatesLine — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:17:18 +0000

More Tulsa and Oklahoma blogs…

Some recent finds worth telling you about: Here are two fairly new “news around town” blogs devoted to Tulsa: Tulsa Loop and This Tulsa. This Tulsa has a very cool logo (featuring the BOK Tower, the Mid-Continent Tower, and University Club Tower), an…

By: Blair

Blair — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:52:34 +0000

When it comes to walkability, the conversation always tends to turn to sidewalks. In reality, this is such a small part of the equation for creating streets and places where people have both the ability and desire to walk. Our pedestrian-friendliness criteria is more likely to predict places people actually walk, yet in cities across the country – including our own – you find policies that require sidewalks and pay little attention to the other factors involved.

Crown Heights is a good example. You have interesting architecture, trees that provide shade, and retail destinations within five minutes and yet no sign of sidewalks. Even without the sidewalks it is more walkable than many neighborhoods simply because of the form and close proximity of a mixture of uses.

Perhaps that is where walkscore.com really gets it right. They realize that all of the other things don’t matter if there is no where worth walking to! For now, lets look to construct and improve sidewalks where they make sense, and work on more comprehensive strategies for improving walkability in places where lack of sidewalks is but a small part of the problem.

By: Shane

Shane — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:30:07 +0000

New developments along arterial streets in OKC are required to have sidewalks and they are building 300 miles of sidewalk in already developed areas. So things are improving for sidewalks.

And the walkability map shows the incredible advantage OKC has with its walkable nodes already laid out in a north-south line… Many of them pretty dang close to the alignment of BNSF. Shooting commuter rail up and down that line would do well, or sending streetcar up Classen.

By: dustbury.com

dustbury.com — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:05:11 +0000

Doing the stroll…

Last year, I noted that my little corner of the city rated a not-too-shabby 78 on Walk Score. The city as a whole rates a 43, which would immediately suggest that walkability is not evenly distributed. (Given the sheer physical……

By: CGHill

CGHill — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:44:23 +0000

WalkScore gave my Oklahoma City neighborhood a 78 (!); we don’t have much in the way of sidewalks yet, but it looks like we’re on the list from the 2007 GO bonds. (Yes, I live in one of those little patches of green.)

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:22:23 +0000

Hey Jenni. Thats not true. The recent bond passed in December had a proposition in it to build 250-350 miles of sidewalk. I can’t remember the exact total. I’m certain that in future bond measures, there will be more sidewalk propositions. They’re trying to fill in all those places where OKC doesn’t have sidewalks…which is pretty much everywhere. Bike routes in this city are horrible, but I think they’ll only get better. Hopefully that is.

I’m also noticing that all new buildings being built, whether suburbia or inner city, have sidewalks included but then they’ll end as soon as it reaches the property line. So, like I said, it seems the city is pushing to fill in empty spots.

By: Jenni Duncan

Jenni Duncan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:43:11 +0000

We have been talking (complaining) with our neighbors lately about this issue, and what we are finding most frustrating is the lack of sidewalks and/or bike paths around our neighborhoods. We live on 12th and Villa and you would think that we would have an easier time walking places, but the fact is it isn’t safe. There are few sidewalks and although 12th is on the bike route there is not a painted lane on our street. We would love to walk and take more leisurely rides but its not worth the risk; OKC drivers aren’t exactly the most observant. We have been told that the Mayor doesn’t want to spend money on putting in new sidewalks or maintaining them. There are areas of Bricktown that don’t even have sidewalks yet!

By: Blair

Blair — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:40:47 +0000

It certainly plays a role, but it is not near as important as you might think. Proper urban design creates environments that pedestrians enjoy, even if the weather is not contributing to the enjoyment. Plus, appropriate design, such as: streets that aren’t too wide, plenty of street trees, and buildings designed for local wind conditions can actually serve to make the wind conditions experienced by pedestrians much less severe.

As far as the windiness of cities in this ranking. Surprisingly, OKC is actually windier than Chicago and by a significant margin according to Bestplaces.net . BUT, OKC is not windier than Boston, which I can attest is both windier and yet much more walkable.

Avg. Wind Speed in knots
Boston (12.17 knots)
OKC (11.67 knots)
Chicago (8.75 knots)

With everything there is give and take. Why do people pay to park in Bricktown when they can go park on Memorial and Penn for free? Because they feel like the experience is worth whatever cost or inconvenience they have to put up with. I think it is the same thing with weather.

This is a good question though and something I am interested in. I will try to get some more information and post it up at some point in the future.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:33:28 +0000

Blair, how much of a role does climate play in the walkability of a community? I mean in the sense of how it effects the average person’s desire to walk, and thus how planners approach design, taking that into account?

I could see where our extreme weather patterns here might make it less desirable to adopt a pedestrian lifestyle. Granted, several of the Top 5 walkable cities fall under these conditions, as well, but with the exception of Chicago, we’re generally windier than the others, too…