Built Environment Determinants of Pedestrian Activities and Their Consideration in Urban Street Design

Regine Gerike, Caroline Koszowski, Bettina Schröter, Ralph Buehler, Paul Schepers, Johannes Weber, Rico Wittwer and Peter Jones
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Regine Gerike: “Friedrich List” Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Institute of Transport Planning and Road Traffic, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Caroline Koszowski: “Friedrich List” Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Institute of Transport Planning and Road Traffic, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Bettina Schröter: “Friedrich List” Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Institute of Transport Planning and Road Traffic, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Ralph Buehler: Virginia Tech Research Center (VTRC), Urban Affairs and Planning, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
Paul Schepers: Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, The Netherlands
Johannes Weber: “Friedrich List” Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Institute of Transport Planning and Road Traffic, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Rico Wittwer: “Friedrich List” Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Institute of Transport Planning and Road Traffic, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Peter Jones: Centre for Transport Studies (CTS), University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-21

Abstract: Pedestrian facilities have been regarded in urban street design as “leftover spaces” for years, but, currently, there is a growing interest in walking and improving the quality of street environments. Designing pedestrian facilities presents the challenge of simultaneously accommodating (1) pedestrians who want to move safely and comfortably from point A to B (movement function); as well as (2) users who wish to rest, communicate, shop, eat, and enjoy life in a pleasant environment (place function). The aims of this study are to provide an overview of how the task of designing pedestrian facilities is addressed in international guidance material for urban street design, to compare this with scientific evidence on determinants of pedestrian activities, and to finally develop recommendations for advancing provisions for pedestrians. The results show that urban street design guidance is well advanced in measuring space requirements for known volumes of moving pedestrians, but less in planning pleasant street environments that encourage pedestrian movement and place activities. A stronger linkage to scientific evidence could improve guidance materials and better support urban street designers in their ambition to provide safe, comfortable and attractive street spaces that invite people to walk and to stay.

Keywords: walking; pedestrians; urban street design; pedestrian facilities; link and place functions; sidewalk; walkability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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