Location, Location, Location

After a visit to Showboat's Drive By Pie in Granby last week for a breakfast burrito, I reflected on the following statement: HALF OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION DOES NOT DRIVE. For the most part, they are either too young or too old, although there are many reasons why people don't drive. The belief that communities designed for universal mobility will thrive while those that can only be navigated by automobile will struggle, is gaining traction in the planning community and among the general population. The consumer (you) can evaluate the walkability of a property using WalkScore.Com. How does your residence or business score?Compare various addresses, towns, and cities. If you are a realtor you may note that your peers are using the WalkScore tool on their web pages.And what does all this have to do with energy and economic development? As energy prices rise, people living and working  in communities that enjoy universal mobility will see little change in their transportation costs, while those in auto centric areas will spend a larger portion of their income on transportation--leaving less for daily necessities. Will this change how we plan our communities and where we live?The whole idea of walkability is a bit unsettling if you live in a rural area. But rest easy, Drive By Pie serves customers who come by foot, bike, horse or car. And I went by bike .