Factors influencing subjective walkability: Results from built environment audit data

Subjective walkability is a measure of the perceived friendliness of walking in an area. Though subjective walkability is less commonly assessed than objective measurements, the latter often fail to reflect the experience of walking. This study aims to better understand subjective walkability and ho...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lancelot Rodrigue, Julie Daley, Léa Ravensbergen, Kevin Manaugh, Rania Wasfi, Gregory Butler, Ahmed El-Geneidy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Minnesota 2022-11-01
Series:Journal of Transport and Land Use
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/2234
_version_ 1811317535610503168
author Lancelot Rodrigue
Julie Daley
Léa Ravensbergen
Kevin Manaugh
Rania Wasfi
Gregory Butler
Ahmed El-Geneidy
author_facet Lancelot Rodrigue
Julie Daley
Léa Ravensbergen
Kevin Manaugh
Rania Wasfi
Gregory Butler
Ahmed El-Geneidy
author_sort Lancelot Rodrigue
collection DOAJ
description Subjective walkability is a measure of the perceived friendliness of walking in an area. Though subjective walkability is less commonly assessed than objective measurements, the latter often fail to reflect the experience of walking. This study aims to better understand subjective walkability and how it varies between travel and leisure walking by investigating its relationship with the built environment and land-use characteristics. Data is collected from 848 street segments in Montreal, Canada, using the MAPS-mini audit tool, external measurements including Walkscore as well as synthetic subjective walkability scores. Mixed effect multilevel models are then generated using travel and leisure subjective walkability scores as dependent variables and built environment features as independent variables. Statistically significant positive predictors of perceived walkability differ between walking for travel and walking for leisure. Walkscore is found to have a weak but significant effect on perceived walkability for travel but no effect at all for leisure. Based on this research, a multi-scalar approach both at the street and neighborhood level making use of a combination of objective and subjective walkability measures should be employed to study predictors of walking behavior. Lastly, distinctions of walking behaviors based on trip purpose should be integrated in future research.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T12:09:51Z
format Article
id doaj.art-d60b3a2bcf694048b2384b92db029a6f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1938-7849
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T12:09:51Z
publishDate 2022-11-01
publisher University of Minnesota
record_format Article
series Journal of Transport and Land Use
spelling doaj.art-d60b3a2bcf694048b2384b92db029a6f2022-12-22T02:47:31ZengUniversity of MinnesotaJournal of Transport and Land Use1938-78492022-11-01151Factors influencing subjective walkability: Results from built environment audit dataLancelot Rodrigue0Julie Daley1Léa Ravensbergen2Kevin Manaugh3Rania Wasfi 4Gregory Butler5Ahmed El-Geneidy6McGill UniversityMcGill UniversityMcGill UniversityMcGill UniversityPublic Health Agency of CanadaPublic Health Agency of CanadaMcGill UniversitySubjective walkability is a measure of the perceived friendliness of walking in an area. Though subjective walkability is less commonly assessed than objective measurements, the latter often fail to reflect the experience of walking. This study aims to better understand subjective walkability and how it varies between travel and leisure walking by investigating its relationship with the built environment and land-use characteristics. Data is collected from 848 street segments in Montreal, Canada, using the MAPS-mini audit tool, external measurements including Walkscore as well as synthetic subjective walkability scores. Mixed effect multilevel models are then generated using travel and leisure subjective walkability scores as dependent variables and built environment features as independent variables. Statistically significant positive predictors of perceived walkability differ between walking for travel and walking for leisure. Walkscore is found to have a weak but significant effect on perceived walkability for travel but no effect at all for leisure. Based on this research, a multi-scalar approach both at the street and neighborhood level making use of a combination of objective and subjective walkability measures should be employed to study predictors of walking behavior. Lastly, distinctions of walking behaviors based on trip purpose should be integrated in future research. http://jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/2234Walkability, Subjective Walkability, Audit, Built Environment
spellingShingle Lancelot Rodrigue
Julie Daley
Léa Ravensbergen
Kevin Manaugh
Rania Wasfi
Gregory Butler
Ahmed El-Geneidy
Factors influencing subjective walkability: Results from built environment audit data
Journal of Transport and Land Use
Walkability, Subjective Walkability, Audit, Built Environment
title Factors influencing subjective walkability: Results from built environment audit data
title_full Factors influencing subjective walkability: Results from built environment audit data
title_fullStr Factors influencing subjective walkability: Results from built environment audit data
title_full_unstemmed Factors influencing subjective walkability: Results from built environment audit data
title_short Factors influencing subjective walkability: Results from built environment audit data
title_sort factors influencing subjective walkability results from built environment audit data
topic Walkability, Subjective Walkability, Audit, Built Environment
url http://jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/2234
work_keys_str_mv AT lancelotrodrigue factorsinfluencingsubjectivewalkabilityresultsfrombuiltenvironmentauditdata
AT juliedaley factorsinfluencingsubjectivewalkabilityresultsfrombuiltenvironmentauditdata
AT learavensbergen factorsinfluencingsubjectivewalkabilityresultsfrombuiltenvironmentauditdata
AT kevinmanaugh factorsinfluencingsubjectivewalkabilityresultsfrombuiltenvironmentauditdata
AT raniawasfi factorsinfluencingsubjectivewalkabilityresultsfrombuiltenvironmentauditdata
AT gregorybutler factorsinfluencingsubjectivewalkabilityresultsfrombuiltenvironmentauditdata
AT ahmedelgeneidy factorsinfluencingsubjectivewalkabilityresultsfrombuiltenvironmentauditdata