People will have an easier time walking around downtown Huntsville than downtown Mobile, but a harder time walking around downtown Huntsville than downtown Birmingham according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national walkability index.

Huntsville’s walkability score currently averages around 16.5/20 in the downtown region. This score outranks Mobile’s downtown score (around 12) but is more than a point below Birmingham’s downtown score (around 17.8). To calculate scores for a particular city area, the EPA index measures intersection density, proximity to transit stops, and diversity of land use.

“The definition of walkability is simple: a walkable place is easy to walk around,” the index says. “Walkable communities come in various sizes and styles depending upon where they are located in the country; whether they are in a city, suburban area, or small town; and whether they have public transit. A walkable community in a small Northeastern village could look very different from a Southwestern city.”

For more information about the EPA’s methodology visit https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/documents/national_walkability_index_methodology_and_user_guide_june2021.pdf.

City plans