Rankings: LCF is 'Car Dependent'

La Cañada Flintridge ranks just below the state average in ''walkability,'' according to a study that gauges whether folks' daily errands require a car.

Walk Score, an organization that promotes the health and community benefits of walkable neighborhoods, recently ranked nearly 400 cities in the state, as well as cities across the country. The higher the score, the higher the walkability. The company used an algorithm that measures the walkability of individual addresses based on proximity to neighborhood amenities. It used data from the U.S. Census 2010 and boundaries provided by Zillow.com.

The upshot: La Cañada checked in with a ranking of 44, dipping below the statewide average of 50. That puts it in the category of "car dependent'' with cities such as Hemet, Madera, Poway and Hacienda Heights.

The highest-scoring city in the state was West Hollywood, with 89. The lowest foot-friendly score, according to the study, was the 8 from Mead Valley in Riverside County.

The study breaks things down even further:

• 16 percent of La Cañada residents have a Walk Score of 70 or above.
• Naturally, the most walkable area of the city is along Foothill Boulevard. Plug in the address for and the ranking skyrockets to 80, "very walkable.'' But enter the address for , and the city's score plummets to 49. While the study found Descanso Drive to be "car dependent,'' it left out any mention of bicycles or bike lanes.
• 51 percent of residents have a Walk Score of at least 50—and 49  percent live in car-dependent neighborhoods.