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Services and commerce within a walkable distance from home
Published in Michèle Pezzagno, Maurizio Tira, Town and Infrastructure Planning for Safety and Urban Quality, 2018
M. Olitsky, Y. Lerman, E. Avineri
The concept of walkability integrates transportation and land use in a holistic manner, incorporating various social, economic and environmental aspects. Walkability describes areas ability to accommodate walking for functional or recreational purposes. For pedestrians, walkable neighborhood is an interesting, convenient and safe place, allowing a wide range of opportunities for social encounters and various activities through improved accessibility (Speck 2012). Accordingly, walkable neighborhoods are characterized by a relatively high residential density, accessible mixed land uses, street connectivity, suitable infrastructure, aesthetics, road safety and low crime rates (Leslie et al. 2005; Saelens et al. 2003).
Pedestrian Path Generation through GPS Traces
Published in Hassan A. Karimi, Advanced Location-Based Technologies and Services, 2016
Piyawan Kasemsuppakorn, Hassan A. Karimi
With the advanced capabilities of mobile devices and the success of car navigation systems, interest in pedestrian-centric navigation systems is on the rise. The backbone of a navigation system is its geospatial database that represents a network (e.g., a network of roads) used for computing optimal routes between pairs of locations and as a visual reference to orient users to the environment, among other functions. Road network databases of many countries in North America, Europe, and Asia, due to the popularity of car navigation systems, are publicly available. In contrast, pedestrian network databases that include pedestrian path segments, such as sidewalks, crosswalks, footpaths, and trails, are not publicly available in many countries; in some countries they are provided through commercial mapping companies at significant cost. This is the reason why current navigation systems that provide navigation assistance to pedestrians are based on road networks suitable for car navigation (Gaisbauer and Frank 2008). Road networks are not appropriate for assisting pedestrians with their navigation needs (Hampe and Elias 2003; Elias 2007; Scharl and Tochtermann 2007) since road networks do not adequately represent a model of the pedestrian navigation environment and do not cover all pedestrian paths (Walter, Kada, and Chen 2006; Elias 2007; Holone, Misund, and Holmstedt 2007; Gaisbauer and Frank 2008). Substitution of road networks for pedestrian networks may cause navigation guidance for pedestrians to be ineffective, especially for people with disabilities who require specialized guidance for mobility. Pedestrian navigation systems are not the only application where pedestrian network databases are needed. Other applications include transportation planning for measuring accessibility and physical activity studies to measure the walkability index.
Fitwel®
Published in Traci Rose Rider, Margaret van Bakergem, Building for Well-Being, 2021
Traci Rose Rider, Margaret van Bakergem
The three walkability strategies revolve around increasing Walk Score values. Walk Score is a private company that provides a large-scale, public access walkability index by assigning a numerical walkability score to any address in the United States, Canada, and Australia. For each address, Walk Score analyzes hundreds of walking routes to nearby amenities, as well as pedestrian friendliness, by analyzing population density and road metrices like block length and intersection density. The higher the Walk Score, the better the walkability (e.g., a score between 90 and 100 is designated as a Walker’s Paradise where daily errands do not require a car). The more walking, the healthier the individual and the community. The three-tiered walkability strategies involve locating buildings in areas with increasing Walk Score values: 50, 70, and 90. The first walkability strategy requires projects to either have a Walk Score of 50 or above or to identify a minimum of three amenities within a half-mile walking route. These amenities might include a food outlet like a cafe, restaurant, or grocery store, a bank or ATM, a gym or recreation center, or a public transit stop. The second walkability strategy builds on the first but increases the required Walk Score to 70 or above and asks for at least two other accessible amenities within half mile of the project’s main entrance. These could be an outdoor open space, postal facility, pharmacy, medical facility, school or childcare facility, retail, or a sidewalk with street furniture. The third walkability strategy builds further, including everything in the first and second strategy, except the distance decreases from half mile from the project’s main entrance to one-quarter mile, bringing the amenities within closer walking distance. As noted earlier, projects can still achieve full credit for the walkability strategies if Walk Score is not available or the project team chooses not to use Walk Score. Rather than obtaining a Walk Score value, an annotated map can be submitted detailing the walkability criteria.
Unveiling the influence of urban revitalization on pedestrian flow and conduct: a case study in New Cairo, Egypt
Published in HBRC Journal, 2023
Indjy M. Shawket, Rasha M. Shaban
One of the key benefits of pedestrian paths lies in their ability to improve the flow of people within urban areas. Well-designed paths that are strategically connected to other modes of transportation facilitate easy navigation, reducing congestion and enhancing overall mobility. Furthermore, when pedestrian paths are well-lit, have a smooth surface, and are free of obstacles, they enable smooth pedestrian movement even during nighttime and inclement weather conditions [1]. In addition to facilitating the efficient flow of individuals, pedestrian paths significantly contribute to the safety of urban environments. By providing well-maintained paths that are separated from vehicular traffic, the risk of accidents and injuries can be minimized. Implementing traffic-calming measures, such as speed humps and roundabouts, further aids in reducing vehicle speeds, creating safer environments for pedestrians. Governments play a crucial role in promoting walkability by recognizing the importance of pedestrian paths and investing in their development. Through infrastructure investments and comprehensive planning, governments can ensure that pedestrian paths are inclusive, safe, and accessible for all individuals, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds. By prioritizing the needs of pedestrians, governments can cultivate walkable cities that enhance the well-being of their citizens.
Planning for sustainable urban mobility: Demand estimation of on-street vertical walking facilities
Published in International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 2022
Esther González-González, Rubén Cordera, Borja Alonso, Soledad Nogués
In today’s city, it is expected that urban spaces encourage pedestrian mobility by improving their walkability. Walkability is defined as a combination of street design and urban environment characteristics that support and encourage walking by ensuring land-use diversity, functionality, safety and convenience, as well as connectivity and accessibility (Moura et al., 2017; Peiravian et al., 2014; Southworth, 2005; Su et al., 2019; Turoń et al., 2017). In this context, connectivity refers to the existence of continuous grids or networks without barriers, such as topographic ones, to pedestrians, while accessibility, besides referring to proximity (i.e. the easiness to reach a variety of destinations), also implies a universal access for all citizens, especially considering the most disadvantaged ones (Moura et al., 2017). In attention to these criteria, some areas are identified as less favorable for walking due to the presence of steep slopes, their peripheral location (as in many informal settlements), or the ageing rate of the population (e.g. historical urban centers).
Risk reduction through urban spatial resilience: A theoretical framework
Published in Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 2021
Yuwen Lu, Guofang Zhai, Shutian Zhou, Yijun Shi
Walkability can be used to describe the walkable level, which plays an important role in increasing neighborhood resilience (Robertson and Hachem-Vermette 2017). Walkability is a measurement method based on land use patterns, residential density, street layout, and accessibility of transportation networks. It can reveal the relationship between walking distance, distance, facilities and basic needs, so we can better understand resilience. Walkable areas can reduce energy use for transportation to mitigate climate change, and also play an important role in improving the resilience of community neighborhoods through the mitigation of urban heat island (UHI) and management of stormwater (Robertson and Hachem-Vermette 2017). Creating a walking-friendly environment by providing the opportunity to habitually engage in physical activity encourages active travel.