Pedestrian Environment and Route Choice: Evidence from New York City and Hong Kong

Abstract

This research uses mixed methods of environment audit, contingent rating, and pedestrian route choice modeling to understand the environment-walking relationship and to quantify the utility of pedestrian environments in monetary values. Based on revealed preferences from 321 pedestrians interviewed in an urban center neighborhood in New York City and Hong Kong, the authors found that the subtle differences in the pedestrian environment result in quite different walking patterns and perceptions of the neighborhoods. Safety concerns and the lack of route alternatives render the Hong Kong pedestrians less familiar with the local environment even they visit the site more frequently, comparing to those in New York City. The authors also found that pedestrians are often unable to articulate the intangible amenities such as streetscape and facade design, and over-evaluate the importance of more tangible attributes like distance and safety. Finally, the route choice model produces a set of values for six key environmental attributes. For example, one extra meter sidewalk is valued as equivalence of 115.7 meters in New York City, or New Yorkers are willing to walk 115.7 meters longer if the sidewalk is widened by one meter. This value is about twice that in Hong Kong.