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Towards More Walkable and Liveable Cities: Perceptions, Attitudes, Methods, Technologies and Policies

A topical collection in Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This collection belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

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Editors

Dr. Fernando Fonseca

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4750-057 Braga, Portugal
Interests: sustainable mobility; walkability; pedestrians; walking; cycling; public transport; eco-industrial parks; industrial parks; geographic information system
Dr. Paulo Ribeiro

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
CTAC, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4750-057 Braga, Portugal
Interests: sustainable mobility; walking; cycling; public transport; decarbonization of urban mobility; mobility resilience; transport planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Elisa Conticelli

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Department of Architecture, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Interests: sustainable urban regeneration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. George N. Papageorgiou

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Department of Management and Marketing, Systema Research Centre, School of Business Administration, European University Cyprus, Diogenous Str. 2404, 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: sustainable mobility; systems dynamics; sustainable development; strategy; management

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Walking is one of the easiest, greenest, healthiest, and most enjoyable modes of transport. Switching to walking reduces the negative environmental impact of motorised vehicles. Walking is also an inclusive mode of transport and a form of physical activity that helps to prevent various diseases associated with sedentary lifestyles. Finding solutions to transform our cities from car-oriented into more people-oriented spaces has been a major concern for researchers and planners. Many cities are unattractive for pedestrians and are still far from the 15-minute city concept. Within the notion of walkability, extensive research has been carried out over the last years to measure how walkable a place is. However, people may not necessarily walk more just because they live in a walkable area. This happens because the propensity to walk also relies on individual characteristics such as age, gender, education, income, race, and mobility culture, which determine different psychological perceptions of space and travel behaviours. Thus, collecting qualitative data is potentially highly valuable to gain an in-depth understanding of pedestrian behaviours and preferences.

This Topical Collection aims to promote a cross-sectorial learning space to analyse and discuss the influence of attitudinal and cognitive factors in the overall experience of walking, resulting from the interaction between pedestrians and the built environment and other street users. This knowledge can potentially be highly valuable for researchers, planners, and policymakers in their endeavour to define and implement planning policies tailored to pedestrian needs with the purpose of creating healthier, more liveable, and sustainable urban environments. It is aimed at researchers and practitioners from different disciplines and countries engaged in advancing knowledge regarding the role of walking to regenerate urban environments and to promote health and well-being in our cities.

This Topical Collection is devoted to the entire spectrum of qualitative studies on walking. Authors are encouraged to present reviews, case studies, applications, and tools developed to collect, examine, and compare pedestrian attitudes, experiences, and perceptions that may inspire policies for designing more walkable cities. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

- Pedestrians’ perceptions of the effect of built environment attributes at the macro, meso, and micro-scales on walking;

- Pedestrians’ perceptions of the effect of environmental conditions, such as air quality, noise, and microclimate, on walking;

- Implications of new technologies on walking habits: routing, monitoring, trip planning, gamified incentives, etc.;

- Effects of walking on self-assessed physical and mental health conditions;

- Pedestrian behaviours, perceptions, and safe practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and other risky situations;

- Realistic behavioural data regarding pedestrian route preferences: shortest route, least directional change routes, healthier routes, etc.;

- Pedestrians’ perceptions on the effect of urban design and regeneration policies in our cities;

- The role of affective and cognitive attitudes in walking and feelings from walking excursions;

- Emerging tools and techniques to collect and analyse pedestrian qualitative data: geodata-based tools, sensors, etc.

Dr. Fernando Fonseca
Prof. Dr. Paulo Ribeiro
Dr. Elisa Conticelli
Prof. Dr. George N. Papageorgiou
Collection Editors

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Keywords

  • pedestrian behaviour
  • pedestrian perceptions
  • walking
  • walkability
  • qualitative methods
  • data collection methods
  • active mobility
  • sustainable mobility
  • walkable cites
  • liveable cities
  • sustainability

Published Papers (19 papers)

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2024

Jump to: 2023, 2022, 2021

16 pages, 883 KiB  
Article
“Power to” for High Street Sustainable Development: Emerging Efforts in Warsaw, Poland
by Artur Jerzy Filip
Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1577; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041577 - 13 Feb 2024
Viewed by 522
Abstract
Global discussions on the future of high streets, especially today in times of epidemiological, political, and market turmoil, emphasize the importance of high streets as laboratories for urban walkability, resilience, and sustainability. The major condition, however, is a collaborative, cross-sectoral approach towards high [...] Read more.
Global discussions on the future of high streets, especially today in times of epidemiological, political, and market turmoil, emphasize the importance of high streets as laboratories for urban walkability, resilience, and sustainability. The major condition, however, is a collaborative, cross-sectoral approach towards high street development. Such efforts have been recently undertaken in Warsaw, Poland, to develop a lively but organized shopping street almost from scratch—a few promising joint initiatives with this goal have been undertaken in Warsaw over the last two decades. Building upon a broad document review and in-depth interviews with sixteen pioneers (business consultants, public authority leaders, and planning experts) directly involved in the development of high streets in Warsaw, this study reconstructs and analyzes their efforts in urban collaboration through the lens of Urban Regime Theory. By discussing strengths and weaknesses of the regime structuring process, this paper points at critical difficulties in high street sustainable development (and consequently, also to overall urban walkability, resilience, and sustainability) which are the inertia of mutual perception by stakeholders, dependency on singular leaders and their personal motivation, the necessity to reinvent the very idea of a high street anew, lack of adequate legal tools for cross-sectoral collaboration, and the stiffening effect of previously set guidelines. Full article
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22 pages, 881 KiB  
Systematic Review
Systematic Review of the Use of the Walk-Along Interview Method to Assess Factors, Facilitators and Barriers Related to Perceived Neighborhood Environment and Walking Activity in Healthy Older Adults
by Valkiria Amaya, Matthias Chardon, Thibauld Moulaert and Nicolas Vuillerme
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 882; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020882 - 19 Jan 2024
Viewed by 819
Abstract
Background: Based on findings from a recent systematic review of the methodological aspects related to data collection for the walk-along interview (WAI) method applied to healthy older adults, complementary questions emerged, among them, what are the main outcomes of studies that have used [...] Read more.
Background: Based on findings from a recent systematic review of the methodological aspects related to data collection for the walk-along interview (WAI) method applied to healthy older adults, complementary questions emerged, among them, what are the main outcomes of studies that have used the WAI? Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to identify the outcomes of published studies that have used the WAI method to identify correlates of the perceived neighborhood environment on walking activity in healthy older adults. Methods: In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, a date-unrestricted search spanning four databases was performed. Of the 164 articles identified in the initial search, 31 articles published between 2012 and 2022 met the inclusion criteria. Results: The extracted outcomes were classified into two categories: (1) the relationship between the physical characteristics of the environment and walking among healthy older adults (e.g., pedestrian infrastructure, safety, access to facilities, aesthetics and environmental conditions) and (2) the facilitators and barriers to walking, based on the dimensions of the socioecological model. Conclusions: This review provides a valuable resource for researchers, students and professionals who wish to work with the WAI method, working on aging and age-friendly cities policies. Full article
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2023

Jump to: 2024, 2022, 2021

37 pages, 20659 KiB  
Article
The “Modern” Campus: Case Study in (Un)Sustainable Urbanism
by Michael W. Mehaffy, Nikos A. Salingaros and Alexandros A. Lavdas
Sustainability 2023, 15(23), 16427; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316427 - 29 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1314
Abstract
The design of campuses, like other aspects of contemporary environmental design, must be reassessed in light of the challenge of sustainability. This paper considers the “modern” campus design typology (including business campuses, commercial districts, hospitals, and schools) as a design paradigm for pedestrian [...] Read more.
The design of campuses, like other aspects of contemporary environmental design, must be reassessed in light of the challenge of sustainability. This paper considers the “modern” campus design typology (including business campuses, commercial districts, hospitals, and schools) as a design paradigm for pedestrian public space, with implications for human flourishing and well-being. Its findings point to a serious problem: while the foundational design theories of a century ago have been widely critiqued as an obsolete way of thinking about cities, human nature, biological nature, and even the nature of mathematical and physical structures, we find that, in the case of campuses, the pervasive influence of these obsolete theories can still be seen in practice. Specifically, a new “techno-modernist” aesthetic offers visually exciting new “neoplastic” forms but is built on essentially the same discredited concepts of urban space. We propose a more directly human-oriented design methodology to promote the well-being of occupants, and improve outcomes for creative development, education, and health. This analysis resurrects tested traditional design tools and validates them through scientific findings from mathematics and neuroscience. It also adopts the older “design pattern” methodology of Christopher Alexander by linking it to biophilia and neuro-design. Full article
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24 pages, 3454 KiB  
Article
Overview of Walking Rates, Walking Safety, and Government Policies to Encourage More and Safer Walking in Europe and North America
by Ralph Buehler and John Pucher
Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5719; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075719 - 24 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 48657
Abstract
Walking is the most sustainable means of daily travel for short trip distances and is a key component of the overall transport system. This paper documents variation in walking rates among countries, cities in the same country, and in different parts of the [...] Read more.
Walking is the most sustainable means of daily travel for short trip distances and is a key component of the overall transport system. This paper documents variation in walking rates among countries, cities in the same country, and in different parts of the same city. Our international analysis of official government statistics shows that walking rates are highest for short trips, higher for women than for men, decline with increasing income, and remain constant as age increases. Walking fatality rates are much higher in the USA compared with the other countries we examined, both per capita and per km walked. Government policies that would increase walking rates while improving pedestrian safety include: integrated networks of safe and convenient walking infrastructure; roadways and intersections designed for the needs of pedestrians; land-use regulations that encourage mixed uses and short trip distances; lower city-wide speed limits and traffic calming in residential neighborhoods; reduced supply and increased price of parking; traffic laws that give priority to pedestrians; improved traffic education for motorists and non-motorists; tax surcharges on large personal vehicles; and strict enforcement of laws against drink and distracted driving. Five decades of success with these policies in many European cities provide practical examples for car-oriented cities to follow, especially in North America. Full article
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14 pages, 3225 KiB  
Article
Establishing Performance Criteria for Evaluating Pedestrian Environments
by Laura Eboli, Carmen Forciniti, Gabriella Mazzulla and Maria Grazia Bellizzi
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3523; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043523 - 14 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1665
Abstract
(1) Background: Promoting pedestrian mobility represents a strategy for achieving a sustainable transportation system, where problems such as traffic congestion, air and noise pollution are minimized. For this aim, it becomes fundamental to identify pedestrian environments that can facilitate and encourage making trips [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Promoting pedestrian mobility represents a strategy for achieving a sustainable transportation system, where problems such as traffic congestion, air and noise pollution are minimized. For this aim, it becomes fundamental to identify pedestrian environments that can facilitate and encourage making trips by walking. The objective of this paper is to provide a practical methodology that can assist the analyst in identifying the best alternative among some pedestrian paths with different characteristics. (2) Methods: To this aim, subjective, objective and mixed indicators were proposed to measure the performance criteria adopted for evaluating the alternatives. A multi-criteria analysis was applied as a tool of evaluation. (3) Results: The findings of the work suggest that pedestrians seem to appreciate the tree-lined paths and prefer to keep bike lines separated from pedestrian paths. Number of crosswalks is relevant in the evaluation of pedestrian paths, especially when there are shops along the path. Aspects related to the conditions of the pavement and to comfort and environment are less relevant. (4) Conclusions: The use of both subjective and objective indicators allows consideration of some different aspects and discovery of more interesting findings. Management strategies could be oriented to make the paths more delightful and serviceable for the users. Full article
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17 pages, 478 KiB  
Article
Behavioural Profiling of Cycling and Walking in Nine European Cities
by Tim De Ceunynck, Gert Jan Wijlhuizen, Aslak Fyhri, Regine Gerike, Dagmar Köhler, Alice Ciccone, Atze Dijkstra, Emmanuelle Dupont and Mario Cools
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 1996; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15031996 - 20 Jan 2023
Viewed by 2215
Abstract
To ensure cities’ livability, a significant modal shift from car use towards more sustainable modes of transportation, such as walking and cycling, is required. To establish such a modal shift, a better understanding is needed of the psychological components that affect people’s likelihood [...] Read more.
To ensure cities’ livability, a significant modal shift from car use towards more sustainable modes of transportation, such as walking and cycling, is required. To establish such a modal shift, a better understanding is needed of the psychological components that affect people’s likelihood of shifting to active transport modes. To this end, a behavioural survey was conducted among more than 2000 respondents across nine European cities in four countries. Using factor and cluster analysis, two groups of respondents are identified that have common determinants of their variations in intentions to shift to active transport modes, i.e., a “pro-cycling” cluster (55.6% of the respondents) and a “non-pro-cycling” cluster (44.4%). The findings highlight the intrinsically different nature of walking and cycling as transport modes, underlining the importance of distinguishing walking and cycling policies. The main obstacle to cycle more frequently is perceived traffic safety. Therefore, the main priority should be the improvement of traffic safety. The most important obstacle hindering more frequent walking is time. Hence, reducing travel time, for instance, by creating shortcuts for pedestrians and denser and more diversified urban areas will be an important strategy. Future research could extend this research to cities in other countries and regions. By repeating the survey periodically, changes in people’s motivations and perceived barriers can be analysed over time. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2024, 2023, 2021

37 pages, 2060 KiB  
Review
What Do We Know about the Use of the Walk-along Method to Identify the Perceived Neighborhood Environment Correlates of Walking Activity in Healthy Older Adults: Methodological Considerations Related to Data Collection—A Systematic Review
by Valkiria Amaya, Matthias Chardon, Helen Klein, Thibauld Moulaert and Nicolas Vuillerme
Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11792; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811792 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3133 | Correction
Abstract
Background: The “walk-along interview” (WAI) is a qualitative spatial method that consists of a researcher walking alongside a participant during the time of an interview to identify perceived neighborhood environments. The use of the WAI method increased in various disciplines, including the fields [...] Read more.
Background: The “walk-along interview” (WAI) is a qualitative spatial method that consists of a researcher walking alongside a participant during the time of an interview to identify perceived neighborhood environments. The use of the WAI method increased in various disciplines, including the fields of public health and gerontology, to assess the relationship between the individual, spaces, and walking activity. However, how and in what settings the WAI method has been implemented with healthy older adults needs to be documented and synthesized. Objective: Our aim is to conduct a systematic review of published studies that have used the WAI method to identify the perceived neighborhood environment correlates of walking activity in healthy older adults, with a specific focus on the methodological aspects related to the data collection of this method. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SocINDEX databases were systematically searched with no limitations on publication date. Results: From 99 articles identified, 31 met all inclusion criteria, totalizing 1207 participants. Description of the method through the assessment of participants and environmental characteristics and the data collection (before, during, and after WAI characteristics). Conclusions: This review provides detailed information WAI method to assess perceived neighborhood and walk activity among healthy older adults. WAI provides different sets of opportunities and challenges. Some suggestions, such as exhaustive participants’ socio-demographics, anthropometric descriptions and data collection methods, were highlighted to be essential elements when conducting WAIs. In addition, the current findings of this review could serve as a basis for researchers, students, and the professional community who wish to apply the WAI. Full article
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30 pages, 9824 KiB  
Article
Pedestrian Single and Multi-Risk Assessment to SLODs in Urban Built Environment: A Mesoscale Approach
by Graziano Salvalai, Juan Diego Blanco Cadena, Gessica Sparvoli, Gabriele Bernardini and Enrico Quagliarini
Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11233; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811233 - 07 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2253
Abstract
Pedestrians are increasingly exposed to slow-onset disasters (SLODs), such as air pollution and increasing temperatures in urban built environments (BEs). Pedestrians also face risks that arise from the combination of the BE features, the effects of SLODs on the microclimate, their own characteristics [...] Read more.
Pedestrians are increasingly exposed to slow-onset disasters (SLODs), such as air pollution and increasing temperatures in urban built environments (BEs). Pedestrians also face risks that arise from the combination of the BE features, the effects of SLODs on the microclimate, their own characteristics (e.g., health and ability), and the way they move and behave in indoor and outdoor BE areas. Thus, the effectiveness of sustainable risk-mitigation solutions for the health of the exposed pedestrians should be defined by considering the overlapping of such factors in critical operational scenarios in which such emergency conditions can appear. This work provides an innovative method to define a BE-oriented pedestrian risk index through a dynamic meso-scale approach that considers the daily variation of risk conditions. The method is ensured by a quick-to-apply approach, which also takes advantage of open-source repositories and tools to collect and manage input data, without the need for time-consuming in situ surveys. The resulting risk conditions are represented through meso-scale maps, which highlight the risk differences between BEs by focusing on their open spaces as fundamental parts of the urban road network. The method is applied to a significant case study (in Milan, Italy). The results demonstrate the ability of the approach to identify key input scenarios for risk assessment and mapping. The proposed methodology can: (1) provide insights for simulation activities in critical BE conditions, thanks to the identification of critical daily conditions for each of the factors and for single and multiple risks and (2) support the development of design and regeneration strategies in SLOD-prone urban BEs, as well as the identification of priority areas in the urban BE. Full article
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19 pages, 2699 KiB  
Article
The Disabling City: Older Persons Walking in Central Neighbourhoods of Santiago de Chile
by Marie Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke, Cristhian Figueroa-Martínez, Francisca Parra Huerta and Rodrigo Mora
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 11085; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141711085 - 05 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2145
Abstract
Walking reports numerous benefits for older persons, yet its practice can be hindered by the built environment. This article seeks to understand how and why certain elements of the built environment facilitate or impede the everyday trips older persons complete on foot. It [...] Read more.
Walking reports numerous benefits for older persons, yet its practice can be hindered by the built environment. This article seeks to understand how and why certain elements of the built environment facilitate or impede the everyday trips older persons complete on foot. It reports the findings of a set of walking interviews conducted in four central neighbourhoods of Santiago de Chile, where forty older persons were invited to walk and talk about the trips they complete on foot and the aspects that facilitate or hinder them. The findings reveal that older persons are aware of the benefits of walking and travel regularly on foot despite the barriers they find in their neighbourhoods. The presence/absence of greenery, the conditions of the facades and the level of cleanliness of the streets affect older persons’ walking experience and can increase/diminish their willingness to walk. Damaged and poorly designed pedestrian infrastructure can cause fear, provoke accidents and become serious hazards. Older persons develop strategies to overcome these barriers, yet the data suggest that they see Santiago as a “disabling city” because it has obstacles that could be unsurmountable in a near future if an illness or an accident diminishes their abilities. Full article
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13 pages, 263 KiB  
Article
Walking in the Era of Autonomous Vehicles
by Simone Pettigrew, Leon Booth, Victoria Farrar, Branislava Godic, Julie Brown, Charles Karl and Jason Thompson
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10509; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710509 - 23 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2234
Abstract
(1) Background: The emergence of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is likely to have substantial implications for walking behaviours due to the availability of new transport options and altered physical environments within cities. The aim of this exploratory study was to identify AV-related factors that [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The emergence of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is likely to have substantial implications for walking behaviours due to the availability of new transport options and altered physical environments within cities. The aim of this exploratory study was to identify AV-related factors that could affect walking at the population level and strategies to ameliorate any negative effects. (2) Methods: A total of 46 Australian expert stakeholders were interviewed about their perceptions of the potential impacts of AVs on walking behaviours. The interviewees represented government departments (state and federal), non-government organisations (NGOs), private sector companies, peak bodies, and academia. (3) Results: Interviewees expected AVs to have different effects on individuals’ ability and motivation to engage in planned versus incidental walking. While those with innate motivation to walk as a form of exercise or leisure may experience enhanced participation opportunities, it appears that incidental walking could be adversely impacted through the availability of convenient AV door-to-door transport options and automated home delivery services that reduce walking related to commuting and shopping. (4) Conclusions: Proactive policy actions are needed to optimize the potential positive impacts of AVs on walking and circumvent the potential negative impacts on valuable incidental walking that constitutes a key component of many people’s total physical activity. Full article
23 pages, 3236 KiB  
Article
Walkable Cities: Using the Smart Pedestrian Net Method for Evaluating a Pedestrian Network in Guimarães, Portugal
by Fernando Fonseca, Escolástica Fernandes and Rui Ramos
Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10306; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610306 - 18 Aug 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3729
Abstract
Evidence for the benefits of walking has attracted the attention of researchers and practitioners and encouraged them to develop healthier and more sustainable walkable cities. Many methods and approaches have been developed to measure walkability; namely, by using land use attributes. This paper [...] Read more.
Evidence for the benefits of walking has attracted the attention of researchers and practitioners and encouraged them to develop healthier and more sustainable walkable cities. Many methods and approaches have been developed to measure walkability; namely, by using land use attributes. This paper examines the transferability of the Geographic Information System (GIS) based multi-criteria method developed in the Smart Pedestrian Net (SPN) research project to evaluate the level of walkability in a pedestrian network in Guimarães, Portugal. The method involves the assessment of 19 built environment and streetscape attributes, which were scored by a group of experts following the analytic hierarchy process. The method proved to be efficient in evaluating the pedestrian network and in mapping walkability in the study area. Around 65% of the street lengths scored above 0.60, indicating that the overall pedestrian conditions are favourable, with the best performance criteria being those related to accessibility and street connectivity. The method also allowed for the identification of different levels of walkability within the study area and the lack of a pedestrian network of highly scored streets. According to the results, the SPN method could be replicated in other cities to evaluate walkability and could be a useful planning tool to support policies towards developing more walkable cities. Full article
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18 pages, 2293 KiB  
Article
The Perspective Projects Promoting Sustainable Mobility by Active Travel to School on the Example of the Southern Poland Region
by Maria Cieśla and Elżbieta Macioszek
Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 9962; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14169962 - 11 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2197
Abstract
The paper presents a discussion concerning the development of projects regarding active travel with the policy of sustainable mobility, with active school transport in southern Poland being taken into special consideration. The implementation of the idea of sustainable school travel planning involves linking [...] Read more.
The paper presents a discussion concerning the development of projects regarding active travel with the policy of sustainable mobility, with active school transport in southern Poland being taken into special consideration. The implementation of the idea of sustainable school travel planning involves linking several social groups, including traffic planners and organizers, school administrators, governments, parents, and children. This, in turn, requires considering the criteria reported by all parties when choosing a scenario for the region’s development in terms of transport solutions. The following study was based on the methodological foundations of multicriteria decision-making analysis. The research purpose of this paper is to identify and classify the actions, policies, and scenarios of active travel projects for the sustainable development of mobility based on the cities of southern Poland. The evaluation was carried out through expert methods with multicriteria decision-making tools based on the MULTIPOL (MULTI-criteria and POLicy) prospective analysis technique. It allowed for the selection of the most probable policy, which covered the six actions considered by the experts to be the most significant for the development of the active school transport system in the analyzed region. Such actions are as follows: identification of walking school bus routes, modernization of crosswalk lines, planning of walking and cycling routes to schools, promoting safety educational programs, distribution of active school transport booklets and cycling, and pedestrian skills training workshops. The paper presents a new method to evaluate the policies and actions regarding promoting sustainable (active) travel to school. The innovative approach results from assembling a mixed group of people (stakeholders) as experts. The mix of experts consisting of users (pupils and parents), practitioners, and scientist experts in this field allowed us to score policies, actions, and scenarios, enabling a wider spectrum of assessment than before. Full article
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19 pages, 1126 KiB  
Article
Perceived Walkability and Respective Urban Determinants: Insights from Bologna and Porto
by Fernando Fonseca, George Papageorgiou, Simona Tondelli, Paulo Ribeiro, Elisa Conticelli, Mona Jabbari and Rui Ramos
Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9089; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159089 - 25 Jul 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3663
Abstract
Walking is undoubtedly a sustainable and healthy mode of transport. However, the decision to walk is influenced by many built environment and streetscape attributes. Specifically, the term walkability is used to describe the extent to which the urban environment is pedestrian-friendly, usually by [...] Read more.
Walking is undoubtedly a sustainable and healthy mode of transport. However, the decision to walk is influenced by many built environment and streetscape attributes. Specifically, the term walkability is used to describe the extent to which the urban environment is pedestrian-friendly, usually by quantifying multiple built environment attributes at the neighbourhood scale. The present study adopts a qualitative approach to evaluate perceived walkability. Based on a questionnaire (n = 1438) administered in the cities of Bologna and Porto, this paper analyses how respondents perceived and evaluated 19 built environment and streetscape attributes. An Exploratory Factor Analysis was carried out to examine the correlations between the various attributes and to identify the underlying walkability determinants. The analysis indicated that 13 attributes were highly correlated, resulting in four determinants: (i) urban ambiance, which includes land use and street design attributes, such as land use mix, enclosure, transparency, and architectural and landscape diversity; (ii) pedestrian infrastructure, which is related to sidewalk conditions; (iii) street connectivity and proximity to community facilities; and iv) access to other modes of transport. In turn, traffic safety and security were not correlated with perceived walkability in both cities. These findings suggest that specific urban design and pedestrian infrastructure attributes should be highly considered when formulating policies aiming to create more pedestrian-friendly cities, as well as in walkability studies and when developing walkability scores and indexes. Full article
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15 pages, 847 KiB  
Article
Adolescents’ School Travel and Unhealthy Snacking: Associations with School Transport Modes, Neighbourhood Deprivation, and Body Weight
by Margaretha L. Situmorang, Kirsten J. Coppell, Melody Smith, Michael Keall and Sandra Mandic
Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7038; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127038 - 08 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2166
Abstract
Active transport to and/or from school (ATS), alone or combined with motorised transport, provides an opportunity to increase adolescents’ physical activity levels to prevent obesity. However, travel through and exposure to an unhealthy food environment en route to school may have unintended consequences, [...] Read more.
Active transport to and/or from school (ATS), alone or combined with motorised transport, provides an opportunity to increase adolescents’ physical activity levels to prevent obesity. However, travel through and exposure to an unhealthy food environment en route to school may have unintended consequences, specifically unhealthy snacking. This study examined the association between adolescents’ unhealthy snack food/soft drink purchases/consumption during the journey to and from school and their school transport modes, neighbourhood deprivation, and body weight. Adolescents (n = 660, age: 15.3 ± 1.3 years, 51.7% female) from 11 schools in the Otago region, New Zealand, completed an online survey and anthropometry. Data were analysed using χ2 test and logistic regression. Overall, 36.7% of adolescents purchased/consumed unhealthy snack foods and 25.9% purchased/consumed soft drinks at least once during their weekly school trips. ATS and mixed transport users reported more frequent unhealthy snack food/soft drinks purchases/consumption on the way to school than motorised transport users. Neighbourhood deprivation, but not body weight, was positively associated with unhealthy snack food/soft drink purchases/consumption during the school journey. Our findings highlight the importance of considering not only travel mode shift but also the obesogenic environment and unhealthy food/drinks purchases/consumption during adolescents’ school journeys, particularly in lower socio-economic areas, to prevent obesity. Full article
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18 pages, 1942 KiB  
Article
Barrier Effect in a Medium-Sized Brazilian City: An Exploratory Analysis Using Decision Trees and Random Forests
by Mylena Cristine Rodrigues de Jesus and Antônio Nélson Rodrigues da Silva
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 6309; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14106309 - 22 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1786
Abstract
This study aims to examine if an urban road with intense motorized traffic in a medium-sized Brazilian city constitutes a barrier for walking trips. A questionnaire was conducted with 103 individuals in an area up to 800 m from the road selected for [...] Read more.
This study aims to examine if an urban road with intense motorized traffic in a medium-sized Brazilian city constitutes a barrier for walking trips. A questionnaire was conducted with 103 individuals in an area up to 800 m from the road selected for the study to obtain information about personal characteristics (age, income, etc.), social interactions in the neighborhood, and travel and mobility characteristics. We used the dataset to explore the potential of Decision Tree and Random Forest classification models to predict the users’ perception of the barrier effect, which was characterized by the dependent variables speed and volume (of motorized traffic). For 36.9% and 47.6% of respondents, traffic speed and traffic volume, respectively, represent a barrier to walking. The results also show that the following variables considerably affect the perception of the barrier effect of the respondents: distance from their residence to the studied road, time living at the address and in the study area, social connections in the neighborhood, and the street reported as the busiest one in the neighborhood. Identifying the variables with the largest influence on the perception of the barrier effect may be very useful for planning and policy initiatives. Full article
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21 pages, 8256 KiB  
Article
A Machine Learning and Computer Vision Study of the Environmental Characteristics of Streetscapes That Affect Pedestrian Satisfaction
by Jiyun Lee, Donghyun Kim and Jina Park
Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5730; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095730 - 09 May 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4093
Abstract
Pedestrian-friendly cities are a recent global trend due to the various urbanization problems. Since humans are greatly influenced by sight while walking, this study identified the physical and visual characteristics of the street environment that affect pedestrian satisfaction. In this study, vast amounts [...] Read more.
Pedestrian-friendly cities are a recent global trend due to the various urbanization problems. Since humans are greatly influenced by sight while walking, this study identified the physical and visual characteristics of the street environment that affect pedestrian satisfaction. In this study, vast amounts of visual data were collected and analyzed using computer vision techniques. Furthermore, these data were analyzed through a machine learning prediction model and SHAP algorithm. As a result, every visual feature of the streetscape, for example, the visible area and urban design quality, had a greater effect on pedestrian satisfaction than any physical features. Therefore, to build a street with high pedestrian satisfaction, the perspective of pedestrians must be considered, and wide sidewalks, fewer lanes, and the proper arrangement of street furniture are required. In conclusion, visually, low enclosure, adequate complexity, and large green areas combine to create a highly satisfying pedestrian walkway. Through this study, we could suggest an approach from a visual perspective for the pedestrian environment of the street and see the possibility of using computer vision techniques. Full article
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20 pages, 3607 KiB  
Article
Car-Free Day on a University Campus: Determinants of Participation and Potential Impacts on Sustainable Travel Behavior
by Jorge Ubirajara Pedreira Junior, Antônio Nélson Rodrigues da Silva and Cira Souza Pitombo
Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3427; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063427 - 15 Mar 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2410
Abstract
This research investigates the potential of inducing willingness to travel less by car with a Car-Free Day campaign and reveals under which circumstances it could be more effective. An online survey was conducted after the event, wherein questions about attitudes toward the campaign, [...] Read more.
This research investigates the potential of inducing willingness to travel less by car with a Car-Free Day campaign and reveals under which circumstances it could be more effective. An online survey was conducted after the event, wherein questions about attitudes toward the campaign, participation and intention of traveling less by car, as well as sociodemographic attributes and travel features were asked. First, the impacts of situational constraints (travel distance, trip chaining and perceived insecurity) on participation were investigated. Secondly, it was examined whether engaging with the campaign increases the intention of traveling less by car after controlling for sociodemographic attributes, attitudes toward the campaign and situational constraints. Logistic regression models have shown that increased travel distance and trip chaining curb participation in the campaign and that the odds of being positively influenced by the campaign is almost four times higher for individuals who engaged with the campaign compared with those who did not participate. This study provides important empirical evidence of a Car-Free Day campaign’s potential of fostering a more sustainable travel behavior, which so far has not been systematically investigated. Finally, relevant policy implications and guidelines on the planning and conduction of a Car-Free Day event that could enhance the likelihood of its success were discussed. Full article
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2021

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20 pages, 7812 KiB  
Article
Which Residential Clusters of Walkability Affect Future Population from the Perspective of Real Estate Prices in the Osaka Metropolitan Area?
by Haruka Kato and Atsushi Takizawa
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13413; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313413 - 03 Dec 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4470
Abstract
In Japan, where the population is declining and aging significantly, walkability has attracted attention as a way to improve residents’ lifestyles. Therefore, it is essential to identify the residential clusters where walkability improvement would contribute to the maintenance of the population in order [...] Read more.
In Japan, where the population is declining and aging significantly, walkability has attracted attention as a way to improve residents’ lifestyles. Therefore, it is essential to identify the residential clusters where walkability improvement would contribute to the maintenance of the population in order to select urban areas for the implementation of walkable designs. This study aimed to identify the residential clusters in which walkability affects the future population from the perspective of real estate prices. The reason for focusing on real estate prices is that they are expected to be a confounding factor connecting walkability and the future population. The method we used was to analyze the structural equation modeling of the impact of walkability index, real estate prices, and future population change ratio. This analysis was based on the neighborhood association scale. This study clarified that effective residential clusters are the business center cluster and the sprawl cluster. In the business center cluster and the sprawl cluster, the price of apartments for sale is the real estate value, through which the walkability index positively impacts the future population change ratio. This means that it is expected to contribute to the maintenance of the future population through a combination of walkable designs and housing policies that encourage people to change their residence types to apartments for sale when rebuilding old building stock using the location optimization plan policy. Full article
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22 pages, 2963 KiB  
Article
Levels and Characteristics of Utilitarian Walking in the Central Areas of the Cities of Bologna and Porto
by Fernando Fonseca, Elisa Conticelli, George Papageorgiou, Paulo Ribeiro, Mona Jabbari, Simona Tondelli and Rui Ramos
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3064; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063064 - 11 Mar 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2822
Abstract
Walking is a mode of transport that offers many environmental and health benefits. Utilitarian walking refers to walking trips undertaken to fulfil routine purposes. The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which walking is used as a transport mode [...] Read more.
Walking is a mode of transport that offers many environmental and health benefits. Utilitarian walking refers to walking trips undertaken to fulfil routine purposes. The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which walking is used as a transport mode for short urban trips in the city centers of Bologna and Porto and the barriers preventing utilitarian walking. Based on a questionnaire (n = 1117) administered in the two cities, results indicated that 21% of the individuals travel by foot, while 47% combine walking with other modes. This means that 68% of the daily trips to these city centers involve walking activity. From the overall trips, 84% were made to reach work and school/university. Statistical tests showed that utilitarian walkers were more likely to be females (p < 0.001) and undergraduates (p < 0.001). People from Bologna were more likely to engage in utilitarian walking than people from Porto (p < 0.001). Travel distance and time were the main barriers preventing people from engaging in utilitarian walking. The findings described in this paper provide a better understanding of utilitarian walking in the central areas of both cities, which can guide policies to promote healthier lifestyles and sustainable mobility. Full article
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