Why is the Las Vegas Valley so unwalkable?

Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas all came in toward the bottom on a list of 3,000 major cities ranked by their “walkability,” or how easy it is to walk to nearby amenities.

According to Walk Score, the city of Las Vegas has a score of 39, North Las Vegas with 30 and Henderson is in the bottom ten with a walk score of 28.

The scores reflect someone’s ability to run errands without a car, but in Henderson and North Las Vegas, almost all errands require a car.

The most walkable city in the country was New York City with a score of 88. New York also held the top spot for being the most transit friendly, while San Francisco comes in second for both.

The lack of walkability throughout the Las Vegas Valley might help contribute to the smaller sense of community often referenced throughout the valley compared to other major cities.

A majority of valley residents can’t walk to basic things like a park or a grocery store — most have to drive. Many more don’t live near spaces that hold community events like high schools, churches and recreational centers.

All three cities continue to be built with the master-planned community in mind, while the top cities ranked for walkability are designed to be completely different.

The top three neighborhoods for walkability in New York City are Little Italy, Chinatown and NoLita (from “NOrth of Little ITAly”). In San Francisco and Boston, it’s Chinatown again.

The neighborhoods in the top three cities have at least two things in common: They’re smaller and have a rich history, unlike many neighborhoods in Las Vegas, save for its own Chinatown.

The valley has miles and miles of recreational walking trails — through parks, through nearby wildlife areas and through suburban neighborhoods in all corners of the valley — just don’t expect them to take you to a gas station.

Contact Kristen DeSilva at 702-477-3895 or kdesilva@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva