Contributions and Limitations Walk Score® in the Context of Walkability: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Walkability is a critical component of built environments, yet there is still diverse conceptualization and measurement of the construct. The Walk Score ® metric is one measure of walkability, which is widely used in scholarly, industry, and public domains. With increased interest in the use of Walk Score ® as a research tool, it is necessary to examine the operationalization and scope of the measure. This scoping review examined how researchers utilized Walk Score ® in walkability research, with specific attention to identifying limitations related to health outcomes as well as the use of the metric in non-health research contexts. Findings from the review provide a novel and critically nuanced understanding of how the assumptions and limitations of Walk Score ® are addressed relative to socio-ecological aspects of walkability.