A new analysis shows Miami is one of the most walkable cities in the United States and is bucking the trend of Florida being rooted in a car culture.
According to the study by StorageCafe, Miami placed second and was the only Florida city ranked in the top 25 for walkability.
“Miami might seem like a surprising frontrunner in the ranking of the best walk & ride cities, but the reality is that it’s making huge strides when it comes to walkability and reducing its dependence on cars,” StorageCafe analysts concluded.
“Besides banking on relatively high walk, transit, and bike scores, this Floridian hotspot boasts a dense network of amenities like retail, restaurants, schools, and healthcare centers, which facilitate access to all of it by public transportation, bike, or simply by walking.”
The analysis praised Miami’s public transit systems. The so-called “Underline” green belt system that runs about 10 miles around downtown is also promoting more walking and biking in what analysts described as “an easy-to-navigate” city.
Miami was preceded by Minneapolis, which topped the list of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in America. Pittsburgh came in third, with Salt Lake City and St. Paul, Minnesota, rounding out the top five. The only other southern city in the top 10 was Alexandria, Virginia, which placed sixth.
While Miami may provide easy car-free traversing, several other parts of the Sunshine State have few amenities for those who prefer to travel on foot.
Cape Coral was ranked as the top town in the country where car culture still dominates. Port St. Lucie followed in second. Pembroke Pines was ranked sixth, and Jacksonville came in at 17th.
Only Texas had more cities than Florida that are vehicle-centric in the top 25, with six.
StorageCafe analysts evaluated 180 urban areas across Florida using factors such as commute times, access to jobs, services and traffic safety for both pedestrians and cyclists to determine the lists.