The world is getting a lot of sheds. We have watersheds, foodsheds ... and now, walksheds. That's the term used for a new online application that lets people plug in their preferences -- restaurants, say, or a library -- and then it calculates and maps the walkability of any given neighborhood.

Yes, you could simply go outside and walk around and see what's there and make your own assessment. But you might miss stuff. And this seems kind of neat anyway.

The program lets you rate your preferences -- one to five -- in these categories: grocery stores, farmers markets, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, rail stops, bus stops, PhillyCarShare pods, Zipcar, parks, tree cover, libraries, bookstores, pharmacies, hardware stores, fitness centers, clothing retailers, violent crime and illicit activities. (And no, if for some odd reason you're in search of illicit activities, you don't get to choose which kind.) 

Mapping the area around the Inquirer building at 400 N. Broad Street with preset Walkability preferences, I got a score of 80 out of 100.   

The app is called Walkshed Philadelphia, and it's being launched by Avencia, described as "a Philadelphia-based geographic analysis and software development firm specializing in the creation of innovative location-based software tools to enhance decision-making processes."

Walking is good for you. And it's good for the air of the city, assuming it gets people out of their cars. Further, a  report published in August, “Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Home Values in U.S. Cities” by CEOs for Cities, says that the walkability of a neighborhoods "translates directly into increases in home values.”
 

According to Avencia, "Walkable communities tend to have larger concentrations of restaurants, shops, services, parks, and open space; better access to museums and other cultural venues; as well as other amenities that contribute to less car traffic and more social interactions. Greater foot traffic also contributes to lower crime rates. Moreover, as people come back to center cities to be closer to these amenities, incomes in these neighborhoods tend to rise. While it is not clear if higher housing prices mean that a neighborhood is more livable, higher prices certainly reflect a desire to live in such neighborhoods. So knowing which neighborhoods are more walkable has real value for realtors, retailers, small business owners, municipalities, and citizens alike."

Walkshed Philadelphia owes its origins to Alan Durning of the Sightline Institute, a Seattle sustainability nonprofit, and  Walkscore, a group that promotes walkable neighborhoods. Its website says, "Our vision is for every property listing to read: Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Walk Score: 84. We want walkability and transportation costs to be a key part of choosing where to live."