When it comes to walking we're #215...

On the one hand we have Forbes magazine who loves us, and on the other hand we have the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) who thinks Spokane need some help.  Earlier this month the APMA released it's 2008 listing of America's Best Walking Cities, and out of 500 cities ranked across the US they ranked us #215.  Sure we're no Venice, but certainly we're better than #215, aren't we?

We gained praise for our Centennial Trail, the public art in our parks, and our very walkable downtown.  Wander outside of downtown Spokane and our little slice of heaven doesn't appear to be that walkable due in part on a car ownership rate that is 2nd highest in the state.  And even within the state of WA we didn't do much better falling in at number 6 out of the top 10 most populous cities in the state.  Hey, we're better than...Kent.  The state list below:

1. Seattle
2. Bellingham
3. Vancouver
4. Bellevue
5. Tacoma
6. Spokane
7. Everett
8. Kent
9. Federal Way
10. Yakima

We're really not very happy about this.  Lots of room for improvement.

• 2008 Best Walking Cities [APMA]
• How walkable is your Spokane nabe? [metrospokane]
• Criteria for ranking walkability [APMA]

Comments

[Brian A. Sayrs]

Outshined by Coeur d'Alene: they're 179, coming in between Tacoma and Bellevue if it were a Washington city.

Boise was also 179 (it was a tie). Too many politicians in this area are only motivated when shamed by Boise. Perhaps they will pick up the pace. Unless, of course, they think walkability is a bad thing.

[Mariah McKay]

Simply extending the tree line from Washington to Division along Main St. would do wonders to for the walkability of the downtown perimeter in summer. As it stands passing through that area feels like trekking through a concrete desert. Sun blaring, dust blowing, cars idling . . .

I wish "they" would move ahead and decide what the long term plan is for W. Main so that local business can determine what makes sense for adding green to the sidewalks along that strip.

[dan/Spokane]

( think we need to move away from comparisons. We need to make Spokane the best "Spokane" we can make it and forget about the other cities mentioned. I'm not living in those cities and plan not to move them. Spokane needs to form bonds with other cities outside of the Northwest to advance it's economic situation!
Most of us live here because we like Spokane and like living here. There are many options in this world!

[GaryL]

The "dream" of nearly all our civic leaders and politicians and 99.9% of the Spokane public is a North/South freeway. To accommodate this, WSDOT plans to triple the R.O.W. of existing I-90 (900' or 3 football fields end-to-end) thru East Central, create fewer access points to I-90, tear down hundreds of homes, etc. Spokane deserves it's terrible autocentric reputation. We must be the last city in the country contemplating something so stupid.

[Kate]

Mariah, you're absolutely right. I'd never put my finger on just what is so uncomfortable about walking those streets, but that's definitely part of it.

If it's true that Spokane can only be motivated by being compared unfavorably to Boise, I move that we create a heavily funded organization pushing for light rail there.