Ford Field's elite walkability ranking
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Ford Field's downtown locale puts it among the country's most walkable NFL stadiums.
By the numbers: The Lions' home turf ranks third in the NFL in walkability with a score of 82, according to data from Walk Score, a Redfin company that promotes walkable neighborhoods.
How it works: Walk Score measures hundreds of walking routes and awards points based on the distance to amenities.
- It also analyzes population density and road metrics such as block length and intersection density.
- A good Walk Score reflects how easy it is to walk to the location and use public transportation.
🥊 Reality check: Any favorable ranking in Detroit that factors in public transit should be met with skepticism because of the bus system's consistently inconsistent reliability.
- But the Woodward corridor does have other useful options, such as the QLine, bike-sharing hubs and scooters.
💠Joe's thought bubble: Ford Field can feel disconnected from amenities because it's tucked into a corner of downtown restricted by the I-75/I-375 interchange. But at least it's downtown — something many other NFL cities can't claim.
- I can vouch for the poor walkability score at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. I went there for the 2021 Michigan State game and it felt super isolated.
Of note: The Lions aren't playing at home this week, as they take on the Packers in Green Bay for Thursday Night Football. Kickoff is at 8:15.
- Watch the game on Amazon Prime or locally on Fox.
- Your next chance to test out Ford Field's walkability is Oct. 8 against the Panthers.