COLUMBIA,SC DEEMED A VERY WALKABLE CITY
Columbia, SC - (September 5, 2008) According to http://www.walkscore.com/, Columbia received an 86 out of 100 score in walkability. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc., and measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle. With a score of 86, Columbia is considered to be a "very walkable" city with the flexibility to be able to get by without owning a car. The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, in the heart of it all, scored a 91.
Walk Score uses a patent-pending system to measure the walkability of an address. The Walk Score algorithm awards points based on the distance to the closest amenity in each category. If the closest amenity in a category is within .25 miles (or .4 km), they assign the maximum number of points. The number of points declines as the distance approaches one mile (or 1.6 km)-no points are awarded for amenities further than one mile. Each category is weighted equally and the points are summed and normalized to yield a score from 0-100. The number of nearby amenities is the leading predictor of whether people walk.
Ric Luber, president/CEO of the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism (MACST) states, "Being a ‘very walkable' city is a great thing for Columbia. We want our visitors and our residents alike to be able to enjoy strolling along the streets of the city center. After all, we're a 12 month destination - we want everyone to maximize their potential to enjoy our outdoors everyday possible."
About Walk Score
"What I can walk to" is a common home-buying and apartment-renting criterion. Walk Score's patent-pending technology calculates a Walk Score for any property and shows a map of what'snearby with reviews to help you find a great neighborhood. Walk Score launched in July of 2007 and over 1 million addresses were searched in the first month. Walk Score has been featured in over 500 blogs and 75 newspaper articles and radio segments.
The Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism is the parent organization to the Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, the Columbia Metropolitan Visitors Center, and the Columbia Regional Sports Council. The organization was founded in July, 2001 for the purpose of marketing Columbia in anticipation of providing an avenue for generating an economic impact.