Compared to most cities in the U.S., which are heavily car-dependent, college towns tend to be much more walkable and bikeable; this is due to campuses being centered around towns and because a high percentage of students do not have cars on campus.
Athens is included in this, which, according to walkscore.com, has a walkability score of 56 out of 100 and a bikeability score of 63 out of 100, ranking it fourth in Ohio, behind Lakewood, Norwood and Cleveland. Unlike the other cities, Athens does not have a transit score.
While on a state level, these numbers are fairly high, there is room for improvement. Nick Beoglos, a sophomore studying information and telecommunication systems, said he feels limited by what he can walk to in town.
“I think it would be nice if there was a better option other than CVS on Court Street in terms of walking to grocery stores,” he said.
For students without cars, the CVS location is one of the only accessible stores for food and other supplies without finding a way to stores like Walmart or Kroger on E. State Street. Although the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway runs from campus to these stores, it can be anywhere from a two-to-three-hour round-trip walk for those without bikes.
Most students, Beoglos included, are not willing to walk that far for groceries or other supplies. He said he was willing to make a shorter commute, but even then it would be not ideal.
However, with resources like campus markets and small businesses in uptown Athens, some students with cars don’t feel the need to drive everywhere. Jenna Carlisle, a sophomore studying nursing, said she uses her car about twice a month.
“I barely use my car,” Carlisle said. “(I only do if) either my roommates or my boyfriend want to go to the grocery store, or if I'm going home. In nursing, we have to do clinicals so that helps you with that too.”
The accessibility to resources by foot was a selling point of Ohio University for Carlisle.
“I think it's very walkable,” Carlisle said. “That's one of the reasons why I picked this campus, just because of the easy access and I'm big on walking instead of using (cars).”
However, walking isn’t the only way to get around without a car. Some prefer the efficiency and health benefits of cycling.
According to PeopleForBikes, an organization focused on getting more people outside and on bikes, ranks Athens as the 45th most bike-friendly city in the U.S. and is second in Ohio in 2023. In 2019, the city was ranked 20th nationally and first in the state.
Similar to the rating given by walkscore.com, PeopleForBikes scores Athens at 60 out of 100 for bike friendliness. This was done by scoring 19 different categories, in addition to the city’s population and ratings of roads based on the stress they cause cyclists. The average score for all cities is 27.
Hudson Parker, a store clerk at Cycle Path Bicycles on W. Union Street said the bike infrastructure is good but more could be done.
“I think it's pretty friendly,” he said. “The bike path really helps. (There is) definitely room for improvement. Especially if you want to get downtown.”
Parker said the key to getting more people on bikes is their willingness and ability to.
“At this point, accessibility (would increase biking), obviously, like bike racks and paths,” Parker said. “Other than that, people just have to be comfortable with it.”
Although a car is a necessary part of daily life in most U.S. cities, Athens proves how towns and cities can thrive without being dependent on cars.
“Athens is a pretty well-developed city for walkability and public transit, which is not something we see in the U.S. a lot anymore,” Beoglos said. “It's a breath of fresh air, especially coming from suburban Northeast Ohio.”
