Walkability Research Articles

Association between obesogenic environments and childhood overweight/obesity across the United States: Differences by rurality.

Childhood obesity is more prevalent in rural compared to urban communities and may be related to urban-rural differences in environmental factors known to affect obesity. However, understanding of how environmental factors impact childhood obesity in rural settings remains limited. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the relationship between obesogenic environments and childhood overweight/obesity rates, including variations across the urban-rural continuum. This study analyzed data for counties in the United States (N = 3140). Linear regression models were employed to examine the relationship between the Childhood Obesogenic Environment Index, which consisted of ten variables from a variety of sources associated with physical activity and healthy eating, and childhood overweight/obesity rates estimates derived from the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health. County rurality was categorized using Rural-Urban Continuum Codes and a moderation analysis was conducted to identify potential variations by rurality. There was a significant positive association between the COEI and childhood overweight/obesity rates nationally, with notable variations across the urban-rural continuum for specific index components. Neighborhood walkability showed a significant positive association across rurality, indicating that childhood overweight/obesity rates were higher in less walkable communities. Full-service restaurants exhibited an inverse relationship with childhood overweight/obesity rates across all RUCC levels. These results underscore the obesogenic environmental factors associated with childhood overweight/obesity rates nationally and how they vary across the urban-rural continuum. This study highlights the importance of considering these variations when designing interventions to address childhood obesity.

Meeting place

What is the essence and content of a modern city? Not buildings, not engineering networks and not roads. People, citizens, relationships and meetings between them are the central purpose of city life. The city is a space riddled with meetings. The news section of the current issue is devoted to meetings of architects. The anniversary of the oldest centre of theoretical architectural and town-planning thought and the Festival “Zodchestvo in Siberia” (ZVS) in Krasnoyarsk have become occasions for many heated discussions and celebratory meetings. This time the main exposition of the ZVS literally went out to meet the city – it was displayed on the museum avant-plaza above the Yenisei (11-44). The main theme of the festival – PERSONALITY – was developed in this issue of PB (45-92). Meetings can be constructive, and they can be conflictive. To prevent meetings from turning into conflicts, some flows need to be separated (e.g. pedestrian and car flows). A compulsory program of comfort growth is supposed to develop pedestrian zones in a modern city, as well as to make the embankments free from transport and industrial enterprises. To what extent is a contemporary citizen ready and eager for meetings? Has loneliness become a norm of life? Konstantin Lidin is discussing this issue in the leading article (94). The city’s public spaces can also be introverted and extroverted: Andrei Bokov introduces the concepts of INTRA and EXTRA in relation to different spaces – open and closed, which encourage people’s meetings in a different way (108). Who wins in the competition for full-fledged communication – social networks or open public spaces? This and many other questions were discussed in the PB Discussion Club dedicated to the theme of this issue: MEETING PLACE.

Social Space Ratio: Calculating the Rate of Public Space Activities That Enhance Social Interaction on a Pedestrian Street in Karlstad, Sweden

William H. Whyte took on the challenge of assessing the amount of public space in a city based on its carrying capacity, pointing out that popular public spaces offer more room for social activities. However, the absence of qualitative characteristics makes this assessment even more challenging to implement. This study aims to find a method to gauge the carrying capacity of urban public spaces by calculating the social space ratio for pedestrian-only streets in Karlstad, Sweden, and quantifying this relationship. The social space ratio represents the proportion of public spaces that foster social interaction throughout their entire area. The method began by selecting the most relevant conceptual framework for social public spaces and then sought theory-based characteristics to assign to seven social activities on Karlstad’s pedestrian-only streets. The authors performed a comprehensive search of the literature utilizing the PRISMA approach, gathering information from credible references, placemaking toolkits, transportation toolkits, and academic sources. This was performed to determine the weighting factors and effective social areas by evaluating these activities in terms of nine categories of the chosen framework: accessibility, traffic, social infrastructure, security, places to meet, senses and experience, architecture and aesthetics, development and maintenance, and control and programming. We devised a method to calculate the carrying capacity and social space ratio of Karlstad’s pedestrian-only streets, resulting in a ratio of 0.38. The research led to the development of eight quality-control tools to analyze the seven social activities in public places. This innovative approach helps researchers and municipal planners evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of these spaces, contributing significantly to Swedish urban planning and enabling future studies to create a social area factor.

Methodology for identifying reference architectural and spatial solutions of universities using a graphic matrix

The present study considers architectural and spatial development of the existing universities and campuses as relevant issue. Administrative and academic buildings, libraries, laboratories, student dormitories and sports facilities, medical centers, pedestrian zones, green spaces, parks and sports grounds, green area recreations contribute to strengthening social ties between students and teachers, providing a beneficial effect on learning and development. The present paper analyzes examples of successful development of student campuses and identifies the factors of their effectiveness. The study findings may serve as a foundation for creating architectural and spatial solutions aimed at comprehensive development of a comfortable educational environment in modern universities of the Volga region. Furthermore, the results of the conducted analysis will assist in identifying priorities of architectural development tasks in areas at different levels — from urban planning to the installation of engineering and automation systems. Well-maintained green spaces, convenient areas for relaxation and socialization, as well as a variety of sports and cultural facilities, will contribute to the creation of comfortable and stimulating atmosphere, which, in turn, will enhance students' motivation for learning and develop their social skills. Effective planning, consideration of the needs and preferences of students, and their involvement in the decision-making process are indicated as the key factors for successful architectural and spatial solutions of university campuses. In addition, the maintenance and regular updating of green spaces and campus infrastructure are found significant.

Spatially Varying Effect Mechanism of Intermodal Connection on Metro Ridership: Evidence from a Polycentric Megacity with Multilevel Ring Roads

Understanding the spatially varying effect mechanism of intermodal connection on metro ridership helps policymakers develop differentiated interventions to promote metro usage, especially for megacities with multiple city sub-centers and ring roads. Using multiple datasets in Shanghai, this study combines Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) with Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) to explore these effects with the consideration of the built environment and metro network topology. Results show that the collective impacts of intermodal connection are positive, not only within the main city but also alongside the main commuting corridors, while negative effects occur in the peripheral area. Specifically, bike sharing trips increase metro ridership within the inner ring of the city, while bus services lower metro usage at stations alongside the elevated ring roads. Parking facilities enable metro usage at city sub-centers, and the small pedestrian catchment area increases metro riders alongside the main commuting corridors. Empirical findings help policymakers understand the effect mechanism of intermodal connection for stations in different regions and prioritize customized planning strategies.

A comparative study on contamination profiles of liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) between outdoor and indoor dusts, and the assessment of health risk of human exposure

Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are ubiquitous in various environmental samples, which has led to increasing concerns regarding their potential health risks to humans and wildlife. However, the comparison of the contamination patterns of LCMs between indoor and outdoor environments has rarely been studied. In this study, 35 LCMs were investigated in n = 55 dust samples collected from indoor (n = 20) and outdoor (n = 35) spaces in Yulin, Northwest China. The LCMs were widely detected in indoor and outdoor dusts; the total concentrations of LCMs ranged from 48.6 to 396 ng/g (median: 153 ng/g), and from not detectable to 388 ng/g (median: 56.4 ng/g) in indoor and outdoor dusts, respectively. The concentration levels of ΣLCMs in indoor dusts were significantly higher than those in outdoor dusts (p < 0.05). For each microenvironment, the ranking order of LCM concentrations was dormitory (mean: 202 ng/g) > teaching building (182 ng/g) > campus road (150 ng/g) > urban road (107 ng/g) > laboratory building (91.0 ng/g) > pedestrian street (20.1 ng/g). The mean estimated daily intake values of Σ35LCMs for adults were 2.48 × 10−2 and 1.37 × 10−3 ng/g BW/day in indoor and outdoor dusts, respectively. The hazard quotients of individual LCMs and hazard indices of all analytes were considerably less than one, indicating little health risk for humans via dust ingestion.

Pedestrian and Vehicle Area Positioning With Multiple UWB Signals

Pedestrian and Vehicle Area Positioning With Multiple UWB Signals

How do urban block built environments affect older adults' walking activities and health effects: a case study in Nanjing, China.

Research on the relationship between microscale built environments and physical activity among older adults in densely populated old urban areas with high aging rates is scarce. Particularly, the relationship between urban block land-use pattern and older adults' walking activities have not yet been completely understood. This study examined the daily walking habits and socioeconomic attributes of older adults in 17 blocks with different built environment characteristics in Nanjing City, China. A multi-layer linear model was used to quantitatively analyse the mechanism underlying the effects of various factors on the health of older adults. The result shows significant positive correlation between neighborhood walkability and the enhancement of walking frequency and activity. For every 10% increase in pedestrian road connectivity and land use, the walking activity volume increased by 22.4 and 12%, and the BMI increased by 9.1 and 7.3% toward the standard range, respectively. For every 10% increase in distance between residence and plaza and park, the walking activity volume decreased by 5.4 and 3.2%, and BMI decreased by 9.9 and 6.3%, respectively. For every 10.4% increase in land mixed-use rate and per capita green area, BMI increased by 19.4%. Furthermore, higher household income and number of family members have significant correlation with walking activities and health effects. Moreover, the block-scale built environment and walking activities jointly affected health, with a cross-functional relationship between multiple factors.

Estimation and modeling of pedestrian dilemma zone at uncontrolled intersections under mixed traffic conditions

Objectives Pedestrian gap acceptance (PGA) theory is the basic concept for pedestrian dilemma zone (PDZ) analysis and modeling and their gap acceptance behavior depends on dilemma behavior also. Uncontrolled intersections are one of the major locations where pedestrians have more dilemma and there is a possibility of an interaction between the pedestrian and vehicle due to the incorrect decision taken by the pedestrian when the vehicle lies within the limits of PDZ. Elimination and modeling of spatial boundaries of pedestrian dilemma stage improve the PGA. Methods The present study is intended to quantify and model the pedestrian dilemma zone (PDZ) boundaries at uncontrolled X-intersections under mixed traffic conditions. Video data were collected from four four-legged uncontrolled intersections in India. Pedestrian and vehicle information was extracted using DataFromSky software and manually from video. The Cumulative Gap Distribution (GCD) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) methods were used to estimate the boundaries of PDZ and developed a binary logistic regression model to estimate the PDZ boundary limits. Results The lower boundary limits of PDZ using GCD and SVM methods are 9.0 m and 6.0, respectively, and the upper boundary limits of PDZ using GCD and SVM methods are 16.5 and 18.5 m, respectively. The GCD method overestimated the lower limit and underestimated the upper limit compared with the SVM method. The binary logistic regression model results confirmed that pedestrian age, gender and crossing speed have a negative correlation and location of pedestrian crossing, vehicle type, and approaching speed have a positive correlation with the boundary limits of PDZ. Conclusions From the present study, it is concluded that SVM better estimated the PDZ boundary limits with the largest margin compared to the GCD method. It is concluded that the boundary limits shift away from the intersection in the case of female and old-age pedestrians compared to male and young-age pedestrians, respectively. The size benefit in the case of 2Ws is the reason for shifting the PDZ boundary limits close to the crosswalk. The lower approaching speeds of the vehicles at uncontrolled intersections are the reason for pedestrians accept the gap at shorter distances.

Age-Friendly Urban Design for Older Pedestrian Road Safety: A Street Segment Level Analysis in Madrid

Walking benefits older pedestrians but exposes them to traffic crashes. With an aging population, designing age-friendly cities is crucial, yet research on older pedestrian safety at a micro-level is limited. This study aims to reduce older pedestrian–vehicle collisions and create more livable environments through infrastructure policies derived from statistical data analysis. Special attention is focused on collecting a holistic set of infrastructure variables to reflect most of the street built environment elements, which helps policymakers implement short-term safety measures. Using Bayesian Poisson regression, this study analyzes factors contributing to the occurrence of crashes involving older and non-older pedestrians on road segments in Madrid, Spain. The results indicate that different factors affect the occurrence of crashes for all pedestrians versus older pedestrians specifically. Traffic crashes involving all pedestrians are affected by leisure points of interest, bus stops, and crosswalk density. Older pedestrian traffic crashes are influenced by population density, the presence of trees and trash containers, and contour complexity. Proposed measures include relocating trees and trash containers, modifying bus stops, and adding crosswalks and traffic lights. This paper also shows that these countermeasures, aimed at creating age-friendly streets for older pedestrians, are not expected to worsen the road safety of other pedestrians.

ISLAND TOURISM AND COVID-19: BUTLERS TOURISM AREA LIFE CYCLE, CULTURE, AND SWOT ANALYSIS

The purpose of this current research is to study island tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. A unique island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the Arctic region, was chosen to analyse island tourism. It is a European country, Iceland, located near the North Pole, at the "top of the world". In contrast to the well-known concept of sand island tourism, Iceland can be said to offer snow island tourism. In this remote area, the economic slowdown became noticeable somewhat later than in other regions of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodology chosen to be presented in this study involves the use of a SWOT analysis to help clarify business strategy, applied to shed light on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to a small open economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on island tourism, with a tourist destination located in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, almost equidistant from the US and Europe. The tourism industry in Iceland has grown substantially in recent years and has become the most important sector of the Icelandic economy in recent years, generating significant foreign exchange earnings for the country. In this analysis, tourism exports are presented as a share of GDP in line with international economic theories. Additionally, the country case study is considered in conjunction with the Butlers Tourism Area life cycle and culture in the analysis. The results of the SWOT analysis indicate that, when considering the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by the market, the overall growth potential of the market is significant. Practical implications include the need to strengthen the infrastructure further to best supply tourism opportunities. New opportunities are seen in online advertising, social media, digital marketing, food culture and historical culture, as well as sustainable and renewable resources. In addition, more attractions and pedestrian areas, as well as improved ski resorts. The value / originality of this study is somewhat unique, as it analyses island tourism, showing the successful development of tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic on remote islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Ultimately, the summary and conclusions provide an overview and suggestions to consider when looking for ways to successfully promote tourism in the post-COVID crisis market.

Walkability in Riyadh: A Comprehensive Assessment and Implications for Sustainable Community—Al-Falah Case Study

This paper focuses on studying the concept of walkability in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after the implementation of the Humanizing Neighborhoods Initiative. Al-Falah neighborhood was selected as a case study because it was one of the first neighborhoods to implement walkability strategies. By adopting a qualitative critical approach, this research collected data through a literature review and on-site observation to assess walkability in the neighborhood. Analysis of the observations highlighted the challenges and opportunities of walkability in Riyadh and the wider Gulf cities. Recommendations for promoting walkable communities in Riyadh include enhancing pedestrian infrastructure, incorporating mixed-use developments, integrating green infrastructure, implementing smart urban planning principles, and integrating public transportation systems. This paper emphasizes the importance of community engagement, preserving local identity, and involving various stakeholders to transform Riyadh into a pedestrian-friendly city that prioritizes public health and sustainability.

Comprehensive Assessment of Context-Adaptive Street Lighting: Technical Aspects, Economic Insights, and Measurements from Large-Scale, Long-Term Implementations.

This paper addresses the growing importance of efficient street lighting management, driven by rising electricity costs and the need for municipalities to implement cost-effective solutions. Central to this study is the UNI 11248 Italian regulation, which extends the European EN 13201-1 standard introduced in 2016. These standards provide guidelines for designing, installing, operating, and maintaining lighting systems in pedestrian and vehicular traffic areas. Specifically, the UNI 11248 standard introduces the possibility to dynamically adjust light intensity through two alternative operating modes: (a) Traffic Adaptive Installation (TAI), which dims the light based solely on real-time traffic flow measurements; and (b) Full Adaptive Installation (FAI), which, in addition to traffic measurements, also requires evaluating road surface luminance and meteorological conditions. In this paper, we first present the general architecture and operation of an FAI-enabled lighting infrastructure, which relies on environmental sensors and a heterogeneous wireless communication network to connect intelligent, remotely controlled streetlights. Subsequently, we examine large-scale, in-field FAI infrastructures deployed in Vietnam and Italy as case studies, providing substantial measurement data. The paper offers insights into the measured energy consumption of these infrastructures, comparing them to that of conventional light-control strategies used in traditional installations. The measurements demonstrate the superiority of FAI as the most efficient solution.

Distinguishing injury patterns in fatal falls from heights versus pedestrian impacts: an autopsy study for differential diagnosis in ambiguous cases.

This study investigated the injury patterns associated with fatal falls from heights compared to individuals struck by cars, aiming to enhance the differential diagnosis in ambiguous cases, where it is unclear whether the body fell from nearby building or was left on the street following a road traffic incident. A retrospective review of comprehensive forensic reports from the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Rome "Tor Vergata" between 2012 and 2023 was conducted. The analysis included 232 cases, gathering data on internal organ injuries, skeletal fractures, external skin injuries, as well as pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial effusions. Bilateral lung injuries were significantly more common in falls from height (33.3%) compared to pedestrians (13.6%, p < 0.001). Liver injuries also occurred more frequently in fall victims (49.6%) than in pedestrians (28.2%, p < 0.001). Skull fractures were more frequent in falls from height (68.2%) versus individuals struck by cars (55.3%, p = 0.044), while unilateral leg fractures were more common in pedestrians (28.2%) compared to fall victims (16.3%, p = 0.029). External injuries, notably to the head and legs, were more frequent in pedestrians. The "Total Injured Skin Area" analysis revealed a significant discriminative power with an optimal cut-off of 84.2cm², suggesting that injuries exceeding this threshold may be indicative of a pedestrian road fatality.

Methods of using the Pedestrian Friendly Roads

Methods of using the Pedestrian Friendly Roads

IMPLEMENTATION OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY SYSTEMS IN THE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE OF KHARKIV

The article focuses on pedestrian safety issues within the urban infrastructure of Kharkiv City in Ukraine and the implementation of modern protection systems on roads. It examines approaches to organising pedestrian zones and safety islands, with particular emphasis on the RS PSS system, designed to enhance pedestrian safety on roads with high traffic intensity. Significant attention goes to the growing number of road traffic accidents (RTAs) at pedestrian crossings and main city highways. From 2018 to 2024, an analysis of accident hotspots took place based on statistical data. This analysis led to the creation of a map of RTAs, which helped identify the most dangerous areas for pedestrians and determine the priority locations for safety measures. One of the proposed solutions discussed is using bollards – protective posts that prevent vehicles from entering pedestrian areas. The article analyses the effectiveness of bollards in combination with other safety measures, such as safety islands and traffic management systems. In addition to bollards, landscape solutions that protect pedestrians and blend into the urban environment are also mentioned. The main focus is on the RS PSS system, which consists of pedestrian slabs and safety islands manufactured using specialised technology. The system has been tested in various locations throughout the city and has demonstrated a significant reduction in RTAs after its implementation. The article illustrates the process of installing the system using the example of the reconstruction of a safety island on Liudviha Svobody Avenue. The use of modern equipment and technology ensured the rapid and efficient completion of the project. According to official data, the number of RTAs in this area decreased from 21 to 4 after completing the project. In conclusion, the implementation of new safety systems has had a positive impact on reducing accidents and improving pedestrian protection. There is also a noted need for further development and advancement of such systems and the integration of advanced technologies to enhance urban infrastructure. Keywords: pedestrian safety, pedestrian safety systems, safety islands, bollard, refuge.

Hybrid Models in Natural Engineering Structure of the City

The article discusses the first hybrid urban planning model including different functional zones on the right bank of the Moskva River. Hybridization of indicators includes renovation of the Crimean embankment and Gorky Park into a single pedestrian zone. Integration of public, business and recreational spaces with park areas are integrated in a single route along the embankment between Gorky Park, Neskuchny Sad landscape park with the Vorobyovy Gory nature reserve. The other part of the hybrid model is formed from the Crimean embankment with Muzeon Park to the public and business space of the Red October, and in 2021, to the famous GES-2 after reconstruction. The total length of the route is currently about 10 km for walking and cycling with excellent views of water and natural areas. The article examines the properties of the first hybrid model, their impact on the sociocultural scenario of space as well as economic, aesthetic and environmental development of the central part of Moscow. However, not all properties of the new model are actively manifested and some have negative indicators, that reduces the integrated development of both the model and the objects in its structure. At the same time, at the present stage of urban development, special attention is paid to the management of urbanization and climate through technological solutions with the replacement of a sustainable natural component in the city. Design solutions of such sustainable projects can be successfully used in different climatic zones. In this context, the author raises the issue of preserving natural areas in the city and analyzes international experience in "hybridity" of properties in models. The proposed approach to climate changes and the sustainability of newly created hybrid models emphasizes objects in which green and blue technologies (for replenishing nature and using rainwater) develop and support both the object formation in the structure of hybrid models and stabilize the new natural engineering structure of the city

Activating the potential for more walking in work tour: An explorative study on car commuters

This paper investigates the Potential for More Walking (PMW) in work tour among car commuters and proposes ways to encourage them to activate this potential. The study utilized a sample of 621 car commuters in the city of Qom, Iran, who expressed a willingness to replace their daily commute pattern with an alternative commute pattern that involves more walking time. The findings of the random effect binary logit model indicated that network patterns with improved connectivity in the residential neighborhood have a significant impact on activating the PMW. Additionally, subjective factors such as positive perceptions towards sidewalk conditions, longer distances between home and workplace, and positive attitudes towards walking were found to be associated with an increased tendency to activate the PMW. Moreover, the study assessed a set of transportation demand management measures that could influence individual behavior towards activating the PMW. The results indicated that pull measures are generally more effective than push measures in promoting walking during work commuting. Furthermore, the measures of turning streets with dense land-uses into pedestrian malls, increasing green spaces on sidewalks, and widening sidewalks were found to have the highest impact on activating the PMW, respectively.

Pedestrian bridge over the River Elbe in Hradec Králové

AbstractThis contribution describes the architectural and structural solutions of a unique pedestrian footbridge in Hradec Králové. The new significant construction was built over the Elbe River in the pedestrian area. The bridge design was challenging for architects, planners even though contractors, especially due to accounting for the influence of shipping traffic. Completed structure has two asymmetrical spans, whereas the main span across the river is 69 m long. In the final static scheme, the structure forms a virtual Vierendeel truss of variable height. A slender UHPFRC bridge deck supported by a pair of cables through thin steel crossbars creates a delightful bridge, which has become a new symbol of the city.

43 Involvement in active transport is related to organizational factors and physical environment infrastructure

Abstract Purpose Active transport (AT) is considered the most sustainable and accessible mode for travel purposes. AT (walking and cycling) contributes to health-enhancing physical activity as it is a convenient and accessible way to increase physical activity levels. Convenient infrastructure promotion and support are important factors in shift from motor transport towards active travel. The purpose of this study was to determine how organizational factors and neighbourhood physical environment differ between using and not using AT among the Lithuanian young adult population. Methods This cross-sectional study included 250 Lithuanian young adults aged 18-39 years, with a mean age of 20.38 years. Of these, 80% were women. AT was measured using the Stages of Change Model-based Questionnaire. Infrastructure was measured by ALPHA Questionnaire–REVISED (Spittals et al., 2010). Organization-related items were developed by study researchers. Results Young Lithuanian people preferred cars and/or public transport (62.4%) instead of active transportation (AT) (27.6%) when choosing mobility. The results support a strong link between AT and organizational aspects. AT is more often chosen by people who belong to an organization where environmentally friendly behaviour is encouraged (waste sorting, using AT (p = 0.018); conditions are created to safely store a bicycle or scooter (p = 0.024); that talks about sustainable development, environmentally friendly behaviour, sustainability, etc. (p = 0.034). Quality of the neighbourhood physical environment, such as maintained bicycle paths (p = 0.011), maintained sidewalks (p = 0.049), maintained parks, and other open spaces (p = 0.050) significantly associated with the choice of AT. However, the choice of active transport was not significantly related to the infrastructure of pedestrian zones or paths, infrastructure of special lanes, routes for bicycles, or separation of bicycle paths from car traffic. Conclusions Young people’s involvement in AT is influenced by the attitude of the organization in which they work or study towards environmentally friendly behaviour, AT, and sustainable development. The quality of the neighbourhood physical environment also determines the involvement of young people in AT.