01623104

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/2661-12

Many fields of study recognize the interdependent health, environmental, and economic benefits of walking. To promote walking in entire populations, measures such as Walk Score have been developed to classify the walking friendliness or walkability of places. Yet high walkability is not always equated with increased walking. This paper investigates this discrepancy with the use of survey data on pedestrian behavior; a variety of geographic information system–derived land use and built environment measures of neighborhoods in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and socioeconomic characteristics obtained from the 2011 National Household Survey. A descriptive analysis of walking behavior and neighborhood characteristics reveals that some neighborhoods with higher walking rates are characterized by a lower presence of parking lots and setbacks and a greater proportion of on-street tree canopy. Linear regressions predicting walking rates confirm these associations after adjusting for Walk Score and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics. These findings suggest that more work is needed for nuancing walkability measures and offer particular insight for health professionals, planners, and engineers looking to promote walking as an alternative and healthier mode of transport. Reducing open space, such as parking lots and setbacks, and increasing street-level tree canopy are two ways that the urban built environment can be modified to support walking, especially in areas with high Walk Score and low walking rates.

01650112

17-03209

English

pp 103–110

2017

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

9780309441940

Digital/other

Figures (3) ; Maps; References (43) ; Tables (3)

Behavior; Built environment; Modal split; Origin and destination; Pedestrians; Revealed preferences; Walkability

Montreal (Canada)

Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 8 2016 11:12AM

• Beaconing Signalization Substantially Reduces Blind Pedestrians’ Veer on Snow-Covered Pavement
• Comparison of Analytical Methods on Staged Pedestrian Crossings at Crosswalks with a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon
• Comparison of Time-Proximity and Evasive Action Conflict Measures: Case Studies from Five Cities
• Estimating Pedestrian Exposure for Small Urban and Rural Areas
• Evaluation of North Carolina Adaptation of NHTSA’s Child Pedestrian Safety Curriculum
• Factors Affecting Driver Yielding Compliance at Uncontrolled Midblock Crosswalks on Low-Speed Roadways
• Introducing the Pedestrian Accessibility Tool: Walkability Analysis for a Geographic Information System
• Measuring Walking Accessibility in Metropolitan Areas
• Real-World Demonstrations of Novel Pedestrian Crosswalk Lighting
• Self-Reported Behaviors and Habits of Distracted College Pedestrians While Walking
• Using Embodied Videos of Walking Interviews in Walkability Assessment
• Validation of an Agent-Based Microscopic Pedestrian Simulation Model at a Scramble Phase Signalized Intersection
• Wayfinding Problems for Blind Pedestrians at Noncorner Crosswalks: Novel Solution