Andrew Lopez

Walk Score ranked Downtown as the number one most walkable neighborhood in L.A.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Downtown ranked as the “most walkable neighborhood in Los Angeles,” according to Walk Score -- a website dedicated to promoting foot traffic and public transportation in communities throughout the United States.

With a score of 92, Downtown is dubbed a "walker's paradise." The site also notes that in Los Angeles, about 52 percent of residents have a Walk Score of 70 or higher.

A recent study of the nation's 25 largest cities also concluded that Los Angeles ranks number 11 in terms of public transportation and number 13 in walkability.

The website says that being a resident of a walkable neighborhood is good for your health, estimating the average person weighs six to 10 pounds less than "someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood."

Runners-up for L.A.'s most walking-friendly neighborhoods include Koreatown and Mid-City. Chinatown ranks fifth on the site.

The study comes just weeks after the fourth official CicLAvia event in Downtown and an announcement made by Mayor Villaraigosa about a new bike share program that will bring over 4,000 rentable bikes to Los Angeles as a way to allow residents easier means of commuting without relying on a vehicle.