Walk This Way
Ann Arbor ranks third on Prevention magazine’s latest list of Best Walking Cities. Wow, A2 must be a really great place to get around by walking.
Okay, those of you who are familiar with these best-cities lists know that it probably means no such thing. The criteria? “How many residents walk to work or as part of a fitness program, along with the number of parks per square mile.” Commuting to your job on foot, power-walking around your suburban subdivision with those little hand weights — what’s the difference? They’re both walking, right?
The survey also looked at “low crime rates, mild year-round temperatures, the number of cultural attractions, participation in recreational sports and pet ownership.” Of these, the first two make some kind of sense, although crime rates might be especially low in places where no one would even think of walking around at night, as is the case in some cities and just about all quiet suburbs. As for the last three: huh?
The only way this ranking could have been worse is if they had given a bonus for lower-density neighborhoods — because then there’s a longer distance to walk to get to the next house. It’s totally walking-friendly!
Walking around Ann Arbor was loads of fun this morning…… NOT.
posted by Tit for Tat on March 5th, 2008 at 12:17 pmThis issue also promises to fight disease with “doses of light” and says that marriage makes you smarter.
posted by ypsidixit on March 5th, 2008 at 12:27 pmCrime rates? Pet ownership? People with cats are more likely to walk?
What about pedestrian death and injury rates? Now, that would actually be relevant and interesting, although I’m sure that’s information that much harder to come by than Chamber of Commerce data like the number of parks per square mile or number of cultural attractions.
posted by Bob Dively on March 5th, 2008 at 12:52 pmWalkable is one of those things that is really a subjective thing. I mean, in the neighborhood I grew up in a walkable community was one that you could walk in without the danger of getting mugged, assaulted or shot at. AAIO has mentioned this topic before, but I don’t remember seeing the official AAIO definition of a walkable community. Of course I may have missed it, but its not important enough to me to go searching the site for it.
Also, “As for the last three: ” I believe that these are supposed to be things that are worth walking to. I mean, let’s face it, if your community doesn’t have anything worth walking to, it’ll never be “walk friendly” by anyone’s definition.
posted by me on March 5th, 2008 at 1:47 pmEvery time I hear someone, best-of list or otherwise, go on about “walkability” in Ann Arbor (and how this somehow relates to the need for less density, an opposition to intensified urban development, and some dumbass ribbon of greenway as crepe-thin as this town’s boho veneer), I generally have to assume that they spend most of their time driving, in an office, or at home, and that the stated “walkability” refers to their own increasing personal ineptitude at walking. I haven’t driven in eight years and have no problem walking in Ann Arbor. The sidewalks are free of land-piranhas (although heaven knows what Lovecraftian horrors might come through those fairy doors) and the streetlights and crosslights seem to work adequately. So I’m fine as far as that goes.
posted by Lazaro on March 5th, 2008 at 1:51 pmhttp://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/81-graduate-school/
posted by Brandon on March 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pmI’ll be moving to Baltimore later this year. Yeah, there’s a decent crime rate there. But that’s mostly limited to the really bad parts of town. Regardless, we’ll be able to walk to work AND to 2 (two!) full-service groceries in 10 minutes or less in addition to several shopping districts and many parks.
posted by OWSider on March 5th, 2008 at 2:47 pmWalkscore is a pretty decent metric of a neighborhood’s walkability and seems to have more valid criteria than “pets owned per capita.”
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/81-graduate-school/
I’m not really sure that “like” is the right word, there.
posted by Constantine on March 5th, 2008 at 8:02 pmThis is only tangentially related, in that it’s a place I can and do walk to from my house, but Jefferson Market is re-opening. I, for one, am really happy to hear that! Reportedly, the new owner, in addition to focusing more on baked goods, will also try to stock more food staples that neighborhood people can use, and she will take requests. This is the kind of local business we need more of! And, for pretty much the whole OWS and my wanna-be OWS neighborhood, it’s within easy walking distance.
posted by Carolyn on March 5th, 2008 at 8:14 pmto OWsider: Oh wow. A city with 6 times the population will have more amenities more densely packed. How shocking—and what an indictment of A2.
posted by Aki on March 5th, 2008 at 10:36 pmOh, Aki. I’m not saying this as an indictment of Ann Arbor. We’ve loved living here. It’s just a shame that MI is full of anti-gay and anti-black bigots. For a homo, this state sucks. Big time. And the Ann Arbor bubble isn’t really that safe. Enjoy SE Michigan’s amenities.
posted by OWSider on March 5th, 2008 at 10:53 pmAnd I’ll just add–Detroit is also roughly 5 or 6 times the size of A2, and I’m pretty sure it’s not nearly as walkable. So population doesn’t necessarily correspond to walkabililty.
posted by OWSider on March 5th, 2008 at 11:01 pmWith you on the homophobia stuff—all the way. Just tired of the comparisons, always to A2’s detriment, with cities much much bigger. I like Portland and Seattle and SF and many other places too, but the “how dare a small city in the Midwest not have 400 sushi places and still call itself livable?” thing does wear on my nerves. Sorry you got hit by that by choice of topics in which your legit grievances showed up here.
posted by Aki on March 5th, 2008 at 11:01 pmHow did the all-knowing editors of “Prevention” not include “shoe stores per capita” in their otherwise brilliant, insightful agglomeration of disconnected crap?
posted by jvwalt on March 6th, 2008 at 3:48 amPrevention magazine is doing the comparing; if they hadn’t ranked A2 up there with Boston and Chicago and San Francisco, I wouldn’t have had a post.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on March 6th, 2008 at 7:55 am“Prevention magazine is doing the comparing; if they hadn’t ranked A2 up there with Boston and Chicago and San Francisco, I wouldn’t have had a post.”
True, but you’re not pointing out a dumb comparison, which this this, you’re knocking the idea of Ann Arbor being “walkable”. I still think it depends on your definition of the idea.
posted by Me on March 6th, 2008 at 8:24 amAAIO is overreaching for overratedness. Talk about an insightful agglomeration of disconnected crap?
This blog is on life support.
I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!!
posted by mucho gusto on March 6th, 2008 at 8:41 amI never said that Ann Arbor isn’t walkable in this post. Although I’ve complained about it before, but usually in the context of people making these kinds of ridiculous claims. It’s more or less reasonably walkable for a city of its size. Nowhere near as walkable as same-size Cambridge, but we’ll say that’s not a fair comparison. My impression is that it’s less walkable than Madison, but I’ve never lived in Madison.
BTW, hi, Ypsidixit! Missed you!
posted by ann arbor is overrated on March 6th, 2008 at 9:12 am“Never complain, never explain.” Henry Ford the deuce.
posted by mucho gusto on March 6th, 2008 at 9:24 amHenry Ford the deuce.
The creator of the Edsel? This is whom you’re appealing to? Most people would regard the heads of Ford as examples of people you should not listen to, but the delusional provincialism of some Michiganders apparently knows no bounds.
posted by Constantine on March 6th, 2008 at 9:51 amIf you count the Whole Foods Shuffle (parking a Hummer across the street) as walking, sure Ann Arbour is walkable. If you count slipping on ice for 4 months out of the year as walking, sure…
Henry Ford? He’s that guy who admired Hitler right? I love the 2008 Adolf EX with the sweet V8.
posted by leighton on March 6th, 2008 at 11:35 amMild temperatures? If they mean below freezing, yeah, it’s great! I love trudging through the Arctic tundra and literal snowdrifts to school!
posted by J on April 1st, 2008 at 4:13 pmAnn Arbor is a good walking city? Are you kidding me? This is the most preposterous thing I have ever heard.
I walk to work every day and *at least* once a week motorists swear at me, scream death threats and hurl various verbal abuse. I get this reaction for crossing in a crosswalk when I have a walk light. Imagine, the nerve of someone who thinks that it might be OK to cross under such circumstances!
Then there are all of the examples of motorists talking on cell phones who don’t stop when turning right on a red light. It is not an exaggeration to say that I have to be careful about being hit almost every day.
I was recently in Manhattan and I was struck by how pleasant, polite and courteous the motorists there were compared to those in Ann Arbor.
posted by Risking Pedestrian Death on April 29th, 2008 at 9:40 pmI was recently in Beijing and I was struck by how infrequently people hork up loogies and spit them on the street compared to Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Millinocket Maine and I was struck by how ethnically diverse the people were compared to Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Provo Utah and I was struck by how tolerant of diverse lifestyles the people there were compared to Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Death Valley and I was struck by how agreeable the climate was compared to Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Paris and I was struck by how warm and welcoming and eager to speak English the citizenry were compared to those in Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Dresden and I was struck by how little bombing damage there had been during the war compared to Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Kinshasa and I was struck by how well funded and effective the public schools were compared to those in Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Muncie, Indiana and I was struck by how exciting the nightlife was compared to Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Columbus, Ohio and I was struck by how smart and dedicated and sober the college students were compared to those in Ann Arbor.
And I was recently in Kolkata and I was struck by how little poverty there was compared to Ann Arbor.
But after all of this traveling and exploring I finally decided to move my family to Casablanca. For the water.
posted by Parking Structure Dude! on April 30th, 2008 at 9:01 amYou guys will find any reason to trash Ann Arbor. After growing up in Los Angeles, I feel completely spoiled to be able to walk to work in Ann Arbor every day. Even in the snow.
posted by Emily on April 30th, 2008 at 2:15 pm