We report on an Atlanta Magazine report on a new report released by Smart Growth America …

It often seems that every week brings a new report underscoring metro Atlanta’s woeful sprawl and its host of associated ills. Well, here’s a bit of better news. A report to be released today ranks the growth of walkable areas in the country’s 30 largest areas, and here’s the stunner: Atlanta comes in eighth place. And that’s not all. Our region is ranked No. 5 for future walkability, indicating a demand for denser development and redevelopment both intown and in the suburbs.

…In Atlanta, for example, 50 percent of the hotel, retail, office, and apartment space developed between 2009 and 2013 was in walkable areas, whether intown redevelopment or infill construction adjacent to the Atlanta BeltLine or newer developments such as Atlantic Station. “Despite its sprawling history, the strength of Atlanta’s walkable urban places, relative to its peers, appears to be real,” write the researchers. “This real estate cycle, starting in 2009, represents a major shift for Atlanta.” Mushrooming apartments along the BeltLine and suburban projects like Avalon, the wired and walkable development coming to Alpharetta, contribute to our projected surge in walkability.

Atlanta ranks behind Portland and ahead of Pittsburgh in the current large cities walkability list.  What’s really sorta shocking is the future Top 10 list…

Projected Future Rankings for Walkable Urbanism 
1. Boston 
2. Washington D.C. 
3. New York 
4. Miami 
5. Atlanta 
6. Seattle 
7. San Francisco 
8. Detroit 
9. Denver 
10. Tampa

Token pic of the Beltline courtesy of FunkBrothers via Flickr

Many walkabouts will see Atlanta’s #22 “walkscore” ranking among the nation’s largest cities as evidence that much more needs to be done for our two-footed friends.  And as a BIG fan of walking, I obviously support these efforts.  However, at the same time I’m kind of surprised that Atlanta ranks even 22 among 40 (and that doesn’t include Decatur in case you’re wondering).

Among the cities that Atlanta walks all over: Houston, Detroit, Austin, Kansas City, Memphis and Nashville.  And for all the recent talk about Charlotte, they still have a way to go according to Walkscore.com, ranked down at #38.

Yes, San Fran, NYC, Chi-town and Boston top the list, but what really smarts for Atlanta is how much higher the cities that we so often find ourselves competing with for “worst traffic” are ranked above us in  “walkability”, notably D.C. and L.A.

P.S.  Downtown Decatur scores a “83″ on Walkscore, which ranks right up there with #2 NYC.

h/t: Atlanta Unsheltered