Assessment of Walkability of Large Parking Lots on University Campuses Using Walking Infrastructure and User Behavior as an Assessment Method for Promoting Sustainability

Abstract

Car-dominated university campuses allocate large areas of land for parking lots, which are major hubs for users to start and end their daily walking trips. However, studies on the walkability of large parking lots are limited, and there is a study gap in the assessment of existing constructed walking infrastructures and their usage and effectiveness in facilitating walking. In this study, a method is developed that can assess both the walking infrastructure and its usage, then applied in five large campus parking lots based on observational strategies. The results indicate that the orientation of a walking path perpendicular to a destination (which provides short-distance walks), availability of proper access to walking paths and designated crossing areas that connect between walking paths, proper implementation of effective traffic calming strategies, and presence of a single entrance and exit for vehicles all play important roles in promoting the use of existing walking infrastructure and creating pedestrian-friendly parking lots. Additionally, this study method extends the walkability assessment of built environments, particularly in large parking lots. This study promotes the creation of sustainable university campuses, thereby enhancing the quality of life of students and staff who use the facilities.