Stop hating on SEPTA… Philadelphia’s public transit has just been given props!

Walk Score, a website that rates the walkability score (to rank where you can drive less & live more), ranked Philadelphia 5th for residents’ access to public transit with a transit score of 68!  We fall behind New York, San Fran, Boston & DC.

How did we snag the #5 spot?  According to PR Newswire, “Walk Score assigns a “usefulness” value to nearby transit routes based on frequency, type of route, and distance to the nearest stop on the route.  City scores are then calculated by applying the Transit Score algorithm block-by-block throughout the city and weighting the scores by population density.”

Walk Score credits the Millennial generation (born 1980-2000) seeking shorter commutes & sustainable transportation options with the increase of public transit.  (Go us!)

Riding public transit is very convenient as gas prices rise, and also can give you time to check email, read a newspaper or book, or take a cat nap. Need some more feel-good reasons to take public transit?

• Public transit saves individuals an average of $10,000 per year
• Americans took over 10 billion trips on public transit in 2011
• The avg number of vehicle miles traveled by US 16-34 yr olds decreased 23% between 2001- 2009.

Walk Score already gave Philly a walking score of 98 (Walkers’ Paradise).

Screenshot of Walk Score

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Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia. View all posts by Julie Hancher