It’s official. Austin’s not very walkable.
In fact, it’s no walker’s paradise, according to a national survey.
According to the Walk Score national survey, Austin garnered only a “car-dependent” 47 percent ranking out of 100 -- ranking 31st out of the 50 biggest cities in the U.S.
Some of the highest scores were found around the 40 Acres – West Campus, North Campus, and the UT campus itself ranked in the top five most walkable areas of town.
Downtown was considered the most walker-friendly region in town.
Despite recent efforts to emphasize walkability – including measures taken by the city to make future development projects more pedestrian-friendly, like the East Riverside corridor and expansion of hike and bike trails – Dallas bested Austin in the survey by one spot, clocking in at number 30 on the list.
New York City ranked number one on the list, with San Francisco, Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia rounding out the top five cities.
The study bases its walkability index on the concentration of cars and the amount of public transit available within a city, as well as the proximity of stores, and other amenities.
