Pedestrian-Friendly Design

Walking is more than simply a utilitarian function. It, in fact, characterizes the very essence of human life. Walking offers various economic, environmental, physical, and social benefits at various scales. At the regional level, it plays a critical role in multimodal transportation systems by linking various modes of transport. At the neighborhood level, it contributes to the quality and vibrancy of community life. At the individual level, it contributes to increased cardiovascular fitness, reduced stress, stronger bones, and mental alertness. Also, walking contributes to inclusive mobility, as it is considered a more equitable mode as most everyone can walk (including those below driving age), while not everyone can drive.

However, the levels of walking, and the potential for making important trips by foot or in combination with other modes, have dwindled and are further threatened by the increasing levels of motorization. In communities where vehicles have become the priority over pedestrians, streets are perceived to be unsafe for walking. But with renewed efforts toward developing more sustainable and safer communities, alternative approaches such as improving the built environment to be more pedestrian friendly are one key strategy to encourage more walking. Pedestrian-friendly design helps enhance the built environment. It is also an effective way to encourage walking, attract more pedestrians, and promote higher levels of pedestrian travel.

Pedestrian-friendly design of streets contributes to the economic vitality of cities. Recent research has shown that well-designed and maintained pedestrian facilities and pedestrian-friendly streetscape improvements have increased retail sales in urban centers. More specifically, a study in Toronto has shown a decrease in vacancy rates while bolstering property values when pedestrian-friendly features were introduced. Moreover, [Page 1070]people who live in neighborhoods with higher levels of density, a mixture of land uses, access to public transit, and pedestrian-friendly features tend to use their private car less than residents in neighborhoods that lack these attributes. Enhancing pedestrian-friendliness in neighborhoods is a positive planning factor that provides multiple benefits.

Empirical evidence is not yet complete but a number of studies have consistently found a strong relationship between the characteristics of the built environment and levels of walking. As an example, a study that looked at the effects of site design on pedestrian travel in mixed-use medium-density environments found that locations that provided facilities and direct routes for pedestrians resulted in higher incidence of walking. Similarly, a University of Washington study confirmed that site design and community layout, as well as the presence of well-designed and maintained pedestrian facilities, are elements that can potentially predict pedestrian volumes in suburban locations.

While evidence suggests that the availability of pedestrian facilities encourages walking and attracts more pedestrians, it is also true that when pedestrian access is expanded and existing conditions for pedestrians are significantly improved, through the inclusion of pedestrian-friendly design, higher numbers of pedestrians can be expected to use the system not only to undertake necessary activities but what Jan Gehl categorizes as desirable and social activities, thereby promoting higher levels of pedestrian traffic and activities.