1. Measuring Walkability
Better Air Quality 2010
Shreya Gadepalli
Chris Kost
Halak Bhatt

2. Essential elements for Walkability
Traffic Safety Along the street When crossing Physical Comfort Continuity of footpath Tree shade
Convenience Shopping/Food Places to halt/sit Personal comfort/safety Eyes on the street Engaging environment

3. Walkability – A quantitative approach
Aim of surveys To support the local government to improve the quality of pedestrian facilities, enhance pedestrian access and create public space
Elements surveyed
Pedestrian counts
Footpath condition
Pedestrian crossings
Seating/Resting spots
Shops/vendors
Access – Directness of path

4. Counts Pedestrians Moving pedestrians Stationary pedestrians
People per hour per direction
Percentage of street users
Stationary pedestrians
Active (Shopping/Eating)
Inactive (Sitting/Waiting)
Shops/Vendors
Formal Shops
Eateries/100m
Other shops/100m
Informal/Street vendors
Others vendors/100m
Seating
Public seating (units/100m)
Informal (instances/100m)
Shop owned (chairs/100m)

5. Footpath – Crossings Footpath width Total width (m) Usable width (m)
Percentage of street width
Footpath length
Quick fix elements
Cleaning required (%*/units)
Mobile obstructions (%*/units)
Investment elements
Broken/non-existing (%*/units)
Fixed encroachments (%*/units)
Shaded (m/%*)
* As percentage of total linear meters of footpath
Crossings
Formal crossings m)
Informal crossings m)
Street width to be crossed at one go (m)
Waiting time to cross (sec)

6. Case study – Surat station precinct

7. Mapping
Segment ID Right of Way Zones A B

8. Sample results – Footpath condition
Footpath width
Footpath constructed width 1A – 2m
Footpath usable width 1A – 1m
Edge to edge street width – 36m
Percentage usable footpath - 6%
Footpath length
Cleaning required –33%
Mobile obstructions –31 instances
Broken/non-existing –38%-17locations
Fixed encroachment–35%-9locations 1A 1B
*Segment length – 480m

9. Sample results – Crossings/Seating
Formal pedestrian crossing – 1
Informal crossing –
Waiting time to cross street – 34sec
Seating
Public - 4
Informal - 2
Vendor - 9 1A 1B

10. Framing the situation politically

11. Documenting improvements
84% increase in stationary activities
26% more leave offices for breaks

12. Walkability and land use

13. Walkability and land use

14. Large block (1.6km perimeter), exclusive land use
Average distance to shopping ~ 2km
Average distance to public transport ~ 1km

16. Small-block (250m perimeter) | mixed land use
Average distance to shopping ~ 0 km!
Average distance to public transport ~ 0.2 km

21. Street Design Manual
A guide for cities to adopt

28. Reality

29. Traditional footpath design
2.25 2
2.5
10.5

30. Appropriate footpath design2 3
7.5
3.25 2

31. Institute for Transportation & Development Policy
is an international not-for-profit organization that is a leader in promoting environmentally sustainable and socially equitable transportation worldwide
Key Program Areas
Investing in modern, attractive public transit systems, specifically bus rapid transit, to provide a higher quality of life in cities
Making streets safer and more convenient for cyclists and pedestrians, improving the quality of affordable non-motorized vehicles, and promoting bike use
Reducing air pollution, congestion, and CO2 emissions by reducing private car use through parking regulations, access management, and road user charging
Reinforcing urban centers by encouraging pedestrian-oriented real estate development, urban design, and public space management
Ensuring necessary funding is available for sustainable transport projects.

32. Beyond survival needs, there are HAPPINESS NEEDS.
We are pedestrians.
We need to walk,
not in order to survive,
but to be happy.