My home in Kannapolis, NC has a walk score of zero! Even though I bike from here, which feels dangerous, it does not even have bike or transit scores. Due to this, I feel forced to use a private automobile for most of my trips. Even though this may appear like I am against the use of the private automobile, I see value in using the private automobile for long trips to remote locations where other modes of transportation may never reach. When modes other than the private automobile can reach my destination, I desire to walk, bicycle, use transit and the train, and any other sustainable mode of transportation. For me, it all comes down to the freedom to choose which mode of transportation I want to use.
Toole Design Group’s Washington, DC office, which is where I will be a transportation planning intern starting in July, has a walk score of 98 and a transit score of 91!
Starting in September, I will be a Master of Urban and Regional Planning student with a transportation specialization at Portland State University, which is located in downtown Portland, Oregon. Portland State University’s Urban Center, which is where most of my classes will be located, has a walk score of 100, a transit score of 90 and a bike score of 91!
Now you understand what 0 to 100 means. What is your walk score? Find out here!
0 to 100 
Ray, Kannapolis is working on changing that zero score. Do you know what Concord’s score is or how to find out a score for a particular place? Good luck in Portland.
I may not have clarified it enough. The zero score is for my home in Kannapolis. It is not for Kannapolis as a whole. You can use this website to find your home’s score and any other location. http://www.walkscore.com/ Thank you, I am looking forward to the journey!
Thanks Ray. I checked my address and got a score of 9. I guess being close to Wilco and Kmart (about a mile with no major highway) boosted the score. Just about anywhere else involved crossing or traveling on a major highway with high traffic.
No problem. I’m not surprised by your score. Walk score uses amenities to calculate the score so your score would be slightly higher. Here is Walk Score’s methodology http://www.walkscore.com/methodology.shtml I have a similar issue at the entrance to my neighborhood since Mooresville Road is a major highway with high traffic.
Ray, This is so great! I will be following your posts! I hope you have a great time and bring back lots of interesting findings! I’m sure you will!
Thanks Tara! I’m looking forward to this journey. It will be the first time that I have moved more than just 20 minutes from my house, which happened when I moved to UNC Charlotte. I have posted my first Kannapolis post, which is about the development history of Kannapolis. Let me know what you think about it.