American Podiatric Medical Association Best Walking City Competition, 2004

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Planning
• Biostatistics

Background:

• The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) has conducted annual "Best Walking City" competitions since 2002.
• Previous iterations (2002, 2003) established a foundation for evaluating urban walkability.
• The 2004 competition aimed to enhance the methodology for a more robust city comparison.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the top 20 "Best Walking Cities" in the United States for 2004.
• To refine and expand the evaluation criteria for urban walkability.
• To provide a comprehensive and equitable basis for comparing walking activities across cities.

Main Methods:

• Expanded the number of competing cities from the 200 largest U.S. cities.
• Incorporated a variety of new measures for walking activities.
• Generated city rankings based on population size, geographic region, and specific walking activity types.

Main Results:

• Identified the top 20 "Best Walking Cities" for 2004.
• Developed supplementary city lists categorized by population, region, and walking activity prevalence.
• Established a more comprehensive and equitable comparison framework for urban walkability.

Conclusions:

• The 2004 "Best Walking City Competition" successfully expanded and improved upon previous evaluations.
• The refined methodology provides a more accurate assessment of urban walkability.
• The study offers valuable data for urban planners and public health initiatives focused on promoting walking.