The city of Long Beach was named the most walkable Southern California city, according to WalkScore.com.
The Seattle-based website, which examined the walkability of the 50 largest cities in the United States, ranked Long Beach at No. 11 overall.
The scores calculate data from Google and other websites that plot streets, businesses and schools. It then uses that information to determine how easy it is to lead a lifestyle in a city with a reduced amount of driving.
Long Beach, with a population of 462,257 as of 2010, received the highest score out of any Southern California city with 66.4 points.
“[Walking] is easy if you know where to go,” said former Cal State Long Beach student Allen Javien. “It can be sketchy going down Seventh Street from CSULB, going west. Other than that, I think it’s fairly straightforward.”
Other California cities that made the list include San Francisco at No. 2, Oakland at No. 10 and Los Angeles at No. 13.
Some residents have taken advantage of the navigability of the city.
“Walking is a great mode of transportation and probably the oldest,” said Aaron Mallory, a Texas native who has lived in Long Beach for two years.
“I usually walk to clear my mind and wind down from a stressful day,” Mallory said.
“Long Beach is very walkable but I don’t think Southern California is known for its walking scene. I wish more people walked, but it seems that most drive to a place to walk.”
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