Every so often, when I'm deep in some report or another, I find a map of Denver. When they really capture something interesting, I'll share them. This week's example uses a simple bit of math to quickly show how different parts of the city have developed.
Each block of Denver is shaded based on its size. The smallest blocks get a richer shade of green. The theory behind this map is that smaller blocks are more walkable.
![](https://denverite.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto/https://wp-denverite.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/01/Block_Size_2014.jpg)
The heart of downtown, along with the residential neighborhoods immediately surrounding it, are rated as the most walkable in this system. (You can find a slightly larger version of the full map on page 88 of this PDF.)
![](https://denverite.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto/https://wp-denverite.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/01/zoom.png)
In the east and northeast, neighborhoods like Stapleton and Park Hill, along with some of the Colfax neighborhoods, form clusters of smaller blocks.
![](https://denverite.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto/https://wp-denverite.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/01/stapleton2.png)
And in south Denver, the blocks get bigger and bigger as the city shifts into the curvy cul-de-sacs of suburbia. What struck me about this map, though, was that most of the city does stick to the traditional straight-line pattern, until you get into its far corners.
![](https://denverite.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto/https://wp-denverite.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/01/south-denver.png)
Bonus map!
Another common measure of walkability is access to a grocery store. This map from a 2015 report shows grocery locations and highlights the areas within their walking areas. However, it will have changed a bit as new stores have filtered into places like Montbello.
![](https://denverite.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto/https://wp-denverite.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/01/Screen-Shot-2018-01-09-at-5.17.14-PM.png)
Got a map?
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