Walk scores and accessibility
"Walk Score" is this cool little thingy that rates your address or neighborhood on walkability. My neighborhood is one of the top 10 most walkable in Baltimore. We've been talking in a desultory way about moving, and I would really like to stay in a walkable neighborhood if I can. Here's what I notice about Baltimore's most walkable neighborhoods, though:
1. They're expensive. In many cases, the people who can't afford cars can't afford to live in the neighborhoods where you don't need a car.
2. They're not very accessible. Most of the housing stock is row houses. Many blocks in our neighborhood, Bolton Hill, also sport ancient brick sidewalks that don't have curb cuts. A lot of those businesses you can walk to are above or below street level and can only be reached via stairs.
One of the most twisted things about life in Amerika today is that car culture is more friendly than old-fashioned street culture to people with mobility issues . Malls are fabulous for accessibility -- especially if they were built way out where land is cheaper and thus don't have more than two stories. Funky little neighborhood shops, not so much.
1. They're expensive. In many cases, the people who can't afford cars can't afford to live in the neighborhoods where you don't need a car.
2. They're not very accessible. Most of the housing stock is row houses. Many blocks in our neighborhood, Bolton Hill, also sport ancient brick sidewalks that don't have curb cuts. A lot of those businesses you can walk to are above or below street level and can only be reached via stairs.
One of the most twisted things about life in Amerika today is that car culture is more friendly than old-fashioned street culture to people with mobility issues . Malls are fabulous for accessibility -- especially if they were built way out where land is cheaper and thus don't have more than two stories. Funky little neighborhood shops, not so much.