Is Lakewood A Walkable Community?

Walkable communities are described by Walkable Communities, Inc as “thriving, livable, sustainable places that give their residents safe transportation choices and improved quality of life. Walkable communities improve resource responsibility, safety, physical fitness and social interaction.”

Walkscore.com assigns a point value to communities in the US to assist families and individuals who seek a community lifestyle that benefits personal health and finances, the environment, and total community living. According to Walk Score a score of 43 is the average of 2500 cities measured in the US. Lakewood’s score is 68.4--a ranking in the 50-69 point range that is described as “somewhat walkable... Some amenities within walking distance.”  According to this source 47% of Lakewood residents have a walk score of 70 or above, 95% of Lakewood residents have a walk score of at least 50 and 5% of Lakewood residents live in car-dependent neighborhoods.

The walkability of a community is measured according to a 12-point checklist.

1. Intact town centers. The town center includes stores that offer a wide-range of goods plus library, government buildings, post office.

2. Residential density, mixed income, mixed use. This measure looks for high population density near the town center.

3. Public space. Green space and places where people can assemble is easily accessed.

4. Universal design. Infrastructure and public space in the community demonstrate a healthy respect for people of all abilities.  Marks of universal design include benches and shade trees.

5. Key streets are speed controlled. There is an absence of thoroughfares designed to flush commuters from the urban area to the suburbs.

6. Streets and trails are well-linked. The community is laid out in a block-style pattern that links trails and public walkways. There is a minimum of winding street patterns and cul-de-sac design.

7. Design is properly scaled to ⅛, ¼ and ½-mile radius segments. This measure refers to the average distance between a residence and an elementary school, high school, park or public accommodation.

8. The town is designed for people. Observations associated with this measure include whether investments are being made in plazas and parks. 

9. The town is thinking small. This item on the check list refers to whether ordinances specify maximums along with minimum requirements for square footage and off-street parking.

10. Many people actually walk or ride bicycles and these people represent a range of demographic groups, old and young, singles, couples, groups. Motorists are courteous to pedestrians and share the road with cyclists.

11. The town and neighborhood have a vision represented by a master plan.

12. Leaders are visionary and communicate forward thinking. This item is often the focus of the city or town web site.

The importance of community walkability to Lakewood residents probably varies. A vision of Lakewood leaders was expressed in the City of Lakewood Zoning Code (Section 1156.01, dated July 2008). This section is titled Planned Development (PD) and states that “Planned development encourages more compact mixed use development, pedestrian-friendly site design, and an urban character in order to increase pedestrian traffic, reduce vehicular traffic...” This section goes on to say, “A PD specifically discourages those uses that promote a strip center development pattern, promote idle land and over parking...” Lakewood residents can judge whether this language continues to express an active, dynamic goal for the future of the City.

Another measure of a walkable city is the attention paid to public art visible to passers by and includes music venues that are open to all. In November the Lakewood Public library unveiled the 16-foot “Transversion” art work by Peter Diepenbrock. This gift from the library to Lakewood residents reinforces the walkable city objective as do the summer front porch concert series and the concerts at Lakewood Park.

Residents who would like to know more about walkable cities are invited to do a walking audit of Lakewood. More about a walking audit can be found at www.walkable.org.