Social Equity of Street Trees in the Pedestrian Realm

Abstract

absractPedestrian accessibility is a primary component of just and vital urban environments. Presence of usable sidewalks is the foundation of pedestrian accessibility, but their walkability depends on socioeconomic and contextual attributes. The mere presence of a sidewalk might not facilitate its usability or walkability. Use of sidewalks also depends on positive conditions of comfort and safety. In many climates, street trees contribute significantly to comfort and to perceptions of safety. Street trees also provide ecosystem services that benefit humans. Recent efforts to reduce non-point-source pollution through installation of green infrastructure provide opportunities to increase the presence of trees in pedestrian travel ways. Environmental justice considerations imply that accessibility, including sidewalk walkability, be fairly distributed to maximize individual, societal, and environmental benefits and to respond to limitations imposed by socioeconomic status (SES). Our main hypothesis is that SES is negatively correlated with the presence of street trees. This article draws on a microdetailed regional pedestrian data set to characterize the presence of street trees in a social equity context. We found that street trees are inequitably distributed in the study area. These findings could add power to requests for installation of street trees and green infrastructure in lower SES neighborhoods.