Photo: The Pork Shop on Combs Rd. - Highly recommended.
I recently found a site called Walk Score. Walk Score shows you a map of what's nearby and calculates a Walk Score for any property. The scoring system is from 1 - 100 with 100 being the best. (
www.walkscore.com )
I checked my walk score in Queen Creek and we made a miserable 34 to of 100. 
Photo: The Pork Shop - On my list for Best of Queen Creek - but can we walk there?Admittedly, I drive everywhere. I know I am not the only one. Believe me, if I could walk to a restaurant, bookstore, movie theater or shop I would. For one thing I need the extra exercise to offset the amount of time I spend sitting on my posterior during my commute and then for eight hours at my uber interesting office job in central Phoenix.
Photo: View of field across from the Pork Shop on Combs. How long will this view last?
So, what does my walk score mean? I let the website tell me what I already know....
Your Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100. The walkability of an address depends on how far you are comfortable walking—after all, everything is within walking distance if you have the time. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:
90 - 100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
70 - 90 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.
50 - 70 = Some Walkable Locations: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
25 - 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
0 - 25 = Driving Only: Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!
I implore our city and county planners to keep walking in mind. It's so sad that we have to drive everywhere. Wouldn't it be nice if our kids could ride their bikes on sidewalks and trails to a store or their friends houses only one or two sub-divisions away? I know when we purchased our house the model homes all had nice sidewalks and the developed street did too. When our home was built, surprise - no sidewalks. Feel free to walk in the street suckers.
Community planning can make or break a community. To the powers that be... Please slow down, take a breath. Consider what an intelligently planned Queen Creek and Pinal county could be and do for Arizona living. Get it right now because once the farms are gone and the infrastructure is complete, there is no going back. Make it pleasant and livable from the get go.
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This week I photographed the entrance to a new development that is coming up quickly on Gantzel and Combs. This is the Golf Club Gated Community of Encanterra. It looks like it will be very nice and exclusive. Please note that this community will add another 2,400 homes to the neighborhood here in Pinal County. I'd love if it would add a few decent paying jobs. (
Please add some connecting walking and biking trails)
Photo: Encanterra - coming soon. ( www.encanterra.com ) Get pumped you golf freaks!
Get ready for 2,400 more commuters on the Ironwood-Gantzel corridor!
Photo: Looking East on Combs.
Empty field across from Encanterra - just ripe for development.
As always - see you in Monday morning traffic. Looking forward to sharing the road with another 2,400 people. -QCEVO
