Avencia Atlas has created a walkshed analysis tool for New York City and Philadelphia that I think everyone should check out if they get a chance. The creators label it an App but I think it’s a really elegant example of a map mash-up!

The way it seems to work is that the user (you) set weights to individual services on a sliding scale ranging from -5 to +5. These services include grocery stores, coffee shops, bars, Wifi hotspots, transit and more. See the image below.

The result is continuous raster layer with various scores indicating if it’s in a walkable location (the walkshed). Another nice feature of the output is that you can download the .kml file for viewing in Google Earth.

Avencia’s Decision Tree engine behind this neat map would allow for many different types of web based geographical analysis including sustainable development and environmental impact studies. Over all, Walkshed New York has an easy to use interface and polished aesthetic that is not seen in many mapping applications or map mash-ups! Special shout out to Brian Jacobs who designed the front end of this application. Go to his website at http://briantjacobs.com for more samples of his work.