I think it's important to know who of us have actually lived in or visited walkable cities. That way we know what we can bring to the table in terms of citizen experience. Did you use local transit or bicycle exclusively?
Here is my list:
Amsterdam, used bicycle and local tram
Berlin, used their tram system
Eindhoven, used bicycle, bus
Washington DC, used metro
Used inter-city trains throughout Europe
my list would be pretty extensive...but major (relative term) cities include:
U.S. - DC, Baltimore, Philly, NYC, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Savannah, Charleston, Denver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco
There are others such as Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Birmingham, Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo that have some walkable areas as well.
International - Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Munich, Rome, Venice, Florence, Jerusalem
I had to mix walkable with great public transportation... In big cities you need both.
International short list...
Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila, Reykjavik, Madrid
CONUS shortlist...
San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Vancouver, Boston
Chicago, Rome and Washington. I still get to Chicago and D.C. a few times a year.
Been to many places in Europe (trips, a summer abroad, and lots of family there).
Been to Chicago and NE cities (family and family and friends, and who doesn't get up to New York every now and then)
Been to cities in Colombia (believe it or not family)
Of course Charleston and Savannah (never to NOLA even though my sister goes every year to actually ride a float in Mardi Gras and my dad who went to Tulane goes there every now and then)
I've been to St. Louis and I would say it's walkable (also one of my favorite cities)
Will be visiting a friend in Milwaukee this summer and his neighbor also owns the top 2 floors of the highest and newest residential tower in Milwaukee, the University Club Tower, so I have already made him promise to take me up there to snap some pictures :)
I live in Midtown Atlanta in a 40 floor building across the street from a subway station and down the street from everything I need.
Lots of Miami is walkable and I have certainly spent a lot of time there (was conceived there when my parents still lived there).
Been many other places, but not all are what we would call "walkable". (Like I would not consider Dallas very walkable).
Of course DC extensively a couple of times. Sadly only got to drive through Richmond once and never have made it to Baltimore.
Pennsylvania cities (almost went to Carnegie Mellon, my second choice college).
Heck, a small ski resort town could be "walkable" heh.
I've visited enough walkable cities that I'll probably always live in a walkable neighborhood. I live right behind Uptown Market and City Kidz and walk there quite a bit. Also ride my bike around Springfield and DT a lot.
Cities I've been to that are very walkable or have large portions of walkable areas:
US-NYC, San Fran, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston, Nawlins, Savannah, Key West, Asheville, parts of LA, most coastal cities in Cali, Honolulu.
Backpacked through Europe twice and I don't think I've ever had trouble getting around on my feet or via transit.
Been to Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Nice, Florence, Berlin, Munich, Dresden, Venice, Amsterdam, Strasbourg, Luzern, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Monaco, Cannes, Interlaken, and lots of smaller towns
Munich is the most bike friendly city I can think of. Rented a bike there for a few days and was in heaven.
Paris and Berlin have awesome transit/subways networks. Haven't been to London, but know they do as well. Rome's transit workers were on strike when I was there, which is far too common in Italy.
There is probably a correlation between ones traveling experiences and likelihood to support public transit and walkablity.
I'm not sure its humanly possible to travel to Europe and not dream of a comparable rail network in the States.
I'm in Florence Italy now and it may be the most walkable city I've been to. There isn't much in the way of public transit... Because a pair of shoes is all you need.
Yesterday we rented a car to drive further into Tuscany but other than that it's all rail travel for the rest of the week. Today we had planned to take the train to cinque terre but the weather forecast is a little grim... No worries though... We'll just head into Rome for the day on the direct train @ 9:58a. - the possibilities are endless... Unlimited adventure.
If I can include biking in the mix, then the most walkable place I have lived in is where I am now (San Marco). I often ride my bike to work and take the skyway to downtown and walk everywhere there.
The least walkable is where I used to live (Mandarin). Had to drive everywhere. Terrible quality of life.
My favorite walkable city is Shepherdstown, WV. We visit my mom there every summer, park the car and hardly need to turn it back on. It is a pre-revolutionary war town on the banks of the Potomac River about 70 miles west of DC. Little bitty city without a traffic signal and a surprisingly busy but small 'downtown'. Very charming with some of the best cycling I have found just across the river through Antietam Battlefield.
QuoteThe least walkable is where I used to live (Mandarin).
Agreed! Parents moved me there in 1980, it was abysmal trying to get anywhere on a bike, as you took life into your own hands with people motoring down Mandarin road at light speed with NO bike lane, no sidewalks. Talk about a city rear-end backwards, the idiots would put in streets, without sidewalks at the least. Living in Mandarin, Mandarin Point was almost like Prison. You could not get anywhere without a car.
And Mandarin Road, 31 years later, STILL does not have sidewalks or a bike lane from the old cemetery to Scott Mill Road.
Never been to Europe but I've visited every city over 100,000 east of the Mississippi, except for Evansville, IN and Milwaukee, WI. Outside of Texas, I've only been out west once and that was back in 1994. I've been looking at doing a Portland, Seattle, Vancouver trip, when the price is right. Anyway, here is my list:
**Exclusively used mass transit, my feet or bike to get around**
- NYC
- Chicago
- Boston
- Philadelphia
- St. Louis
- New Orleans
- Dallas/Fort Worth
- Savannah
- Charleston
- Baltimore
- San Juan
- Toronto
- Pittsburgh
- Washington, DC
**Auto and feet (places with decent walkable core neighborhoods)**
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
- Buffalo
- Cleveland
- Hartford
- Providence
- New Haven
- Portland, ME
- Miami
- Key West
- Richmond
- Detroit
- Louisville
- Kansas City
- Tijuana
- Galveston
- Cincinnati
- Norfolk
Anyway, I've found that most cities that had over 10,000 residents/sq mile before the sprawl era, still have walkable cores (all just might not be vibrant today). Here is a good link that illustrates the density of the country's largest 100 cities between 1790 and 1990.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027/tab16.txt
http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027/twps0027.html
I was in Montreal a few weeks ago & hands down it's at the top of my list. 20+ walkable miles UNDERGROUND & growing.
International
-Stockholm (walked and extensive ferry system)
-London (walked and the tube)
-Copenhagen (walked)
-Madrid
-Sevilla
-Tanger, Morocco
-Santo Domingo
-Malmo, Sweden
-Wimbledon (suburb of London, but far enough away that I'd count it seperate)
-Port Au Prince (walked because not much else was running)
Domestic
-NYC
-Chicago
-DC
-Asheville
-Durango, CO (one of the most walkable and enjoyable places I've ever been)
-NOLA
-Charleston
-Savannah
-Miami Beach
-DT Denver
-DT San Diego
-DT Miami
-DT ATL
-DT Charlotte (walkable and lovely)
-Gainesville (if you've really been there, you know this counts)
Still want to go to Philly and Boston.
So.... Lake..... What were you doing in Tijuana???
Hahaha, just kidding.
Went to Tijuana once and realized what you have to do if you are there. Get Out!
Quote from: Shwaz on April 14, 2011, 02:56:28 AM
I'm in Florence Italy now and it may be the most walkable city I've been to. There isn't much in the way of public transit... Because a pair of shoes is all you need.
Yesterday we rented a car to drive further into Tuscany but other than that it's all rail travel for the rest of the week. Today we had planned to take the train to cinque terre but the weather forecast is a little grim... No worries though... We'll just head into Rome for the day on the direct train @ 9:58a. - the possibilities are endless... Unlimited adventure.
Jealous I love Rome and Florence.