Measuring accessibility to parks: Analyzing the relationship between self-reported and calculated measures

Karl El Murr, Genevieve Boisjoly and E.O.D. Waygood

Journal of Transport Geography, 2023, vol. 107, issue C

Abstract: Accessibility to all types of destinations is an important research field in transport. Parks and green spaces are key destinations due to their contribution to individuals' well-being. Most studies focus on calculated accessibility to parks (e.g., number of parks within walking distance), typically neglecting how needs, preferences and constraints may vary across individuals. More recently, a few studies have assessed self-reported accessibility. Yet, little attention has been paid to the relationship between these two types of measure. This study evaluates the relationship between calculated and self-reported accessibility to parks in the city of Montreal. Three calculated measures were generated based on the cumulative-opportunity method considering (i) the number of parks, (ii) the surface area, and (iii) the parks' attributes. The self-reported measure was collected from a representative sample of city residents through an online survey (n = 873). Three ordered logistic regressions were used to model the relationship between self-reported and calculated accessibility, while controlling for individual characteristics, followed by an analysis of the mismatch between the two measures. Findings show that the two types of accessibility are positively associated when considering park attributes, but a negative association is observed between the number of parks and self-reported accessibility. The study also confirms that individual characteristics influence self-reported accessibility and suggests that the mismatch between self-reported accessibility and the number of parks is explained by both spatial and individual factors. This research highlights that researchers, planners and decision-makers should consider destinations' attributes, individual characteristics and perceptions when assessing accessibility to parks.

Keywords: Parks; Spatial analysis; Accessibility indicators; Transport and land use; Perceptions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:107:y:2023:i:c:s0966692323000224

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2023.103550

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