Pedestrian Space Research Articles

Linking of pedestrian spaces to optimize outdoor air ventilation and quality in tropical high-density urban areas

Pedestrian spaces in cities allow a large number of outdoor activities. However, they are vulnerable to vehicular pollutants. This study aims to investigate how pedestrian spaces should be linked to optimize wind conditions and air quality in tropical cities. Numerical simulations are conducted to evaluate various upwind-to-downwind linking patterns in urban areas with three levels of high-density. The results suggest that wind velocity and pollutant concentration can be effectively optimized by adjusting their linking patterns even without compromising building density. However, wind velocity and pollutant concentration are not always inversely related. Key findings are achieved: 1) expanding pedestrian spaces particularly those at the upwind of a vehicle road introduces more prevailing wind which improves both air ventilation and quality in most scenarios; 2) offsetting pedestrian spaces at the upwind/downwind of a vehicle road generates more displacement (i.e., span-wise and vertical) flow which enhances pollutant dispersion; 3) diverging pedestrian spaces from the upwind to downwind restricts transmitting pollutants to the downwind; and 4) diversifying urban block configurations with more non-uniform linking patterns improves air quality but is less useful to wind conditions. A better-ventilated pedestrian environment is expected to encourage outdoor activities, promoting sustainable living styles and vibrant mixed-use urban developments.

Characterization of Pedestrian Crossing Spatial Violations and Safety Impact Analysis in Advance Right-Turn Lane.

In view of the pedestrian space violation in an advance right-turn lane, the pedestrian crossing paths are divided by collecting the temporal and spatial information of pedestrians and motor vehicles, and the characteristics of different pedestrian crossing behaviors are studied. Combined with the time and speed indicators of conflict severity, the K-means method is used to divide the level of conflict severity. A multivariate ordered logistic regression model of the severity of pedestrian–vehicle conflict was constructed to quantify the effects of different factors on the severity of the pedestrian–vehicle conflict. The study of 1388 pedestrians and the resulting pedestrian–vehicle conflicts found that the type of spatial violation has a significant impact on pedestrian crossing behavior and safety. The average crossing speed and acceleration variation values of spatially violated pedestrians were significantly higher than those of other pedestrians; there is a significant increase in the severity of pedestrian–vehicle conflicts in areas close to the oncoming traffic; the average percentage of pedestrian–vehicle conflicts due to spatial violations increased by 12%, and the percentage of serious conflicts due to each type of spatial violation increased from 18% to 87%, 74%, 30%, and 63%, respectively, compared with those of non-violated pedestrians. In addition, the decrease in the number of lanes and the increase in speed and vehicle reach all lead to an increase in the severity of pedestrian–vehicle conflicts. The results of the study will help traffic authorities to take measures to ensure pedestrian crossing safety.

Understanding pedestrian behavior and spatial relations: A pedestrianized area in Besiktas, Istanbul

This research provides a mixed method of investigating and analyzing pedestrian behavior in pedestrianized areas, which is one of the human-based urban development practices. The relationship between pedestrian behavior and perception of the city is discussed through a combination of architect and urban planner Gordon Cullen's theory and Space Syntax methodology. This study examines the development and implementation of the methodology to understand the relationship between pedestrian behavior and space in Besiktas Koyici settlement, Istanbul. The methodology, integrated with on-site observations (observing 10 min at five different observation points in the settlement at predetermined times on weekdays and weekends), surveys (determining pedestrian movement and perception in terms of Cullen's theory) and spatial configuration (Space Syntax analysis (connectivity, integrity) done with DepthMapX software), aims to analyze pedestrian behavior patterns. The concepts of sense of place and content, as well as the effects of their sub-concepts on their behaviors, were revealed because of a survey conducted with students and architects of variety of educational levels who are daily users of the field. Pedestrian counting and observations were used to create density, activity, and mobility maps of the area. It has been found that pedestrianized areas have a significant impact on pedestrian behavior through influencing vitality and appeal and that Cullen's theory may be used to analyze pedestrian behavior and perceptions of the city. The study showed that spatial configuration and Cullen's theory effect pedestrian movement by complementing each other.

Pedestrian access to transit in evolution: unfolding the spatialization of rapid-transit planning

ABSTRACT This article retraces the impact of evolving hegemonic rapid transit planning and design strategies on pedestrian integration between stations and neighbourhoods, using Hong Kong as a longitudinal case. Mixed-methods research, triangulating documentary analysis, spatial analysis, and in-depth interviews, identified six typologies across three historical phases. The findings demonstrate that pedestrian access to transit is spatially heterogeneous, shaping the evolution of the station area from a connecting structure into an interconnecting infrastructure. Unfolding the historical interplay of hegemonic forces in the production of pedestrian spaces, this study innovatively bridges the research gap between planning policies and fine-grained urban design features.

Distributions of gust and peak factors at a pedestrian level in a simplified urban canopy obtained by particle image velocimetry

The complex velocity fields within an urban canopy affect the occurrence of rare weak and strong wind-speed phenomena at the pedestrian level. Although particle image velocimetry (PIV) is widely used to determine velocity components, it has not been applied to pedestrian spaces for rare wind events, owing to the surrounding buildings. Therefore, in this study, two velocity components within a simplified urban canopy layer were measured using time-resolved PIV by inserting a laser optics system into a focal block. We determined the turbulent statistics, probability densities, gust factor (GF), and peak factor (PF) at the pedestrian level within the canopy layer. The probability density functions of the velocity components at positions with a lower mean wind speed tend to be negatively skewed, whereas those at positions with a higher mean wind speed tend to become closer to the Gaussian distribution. The GF values are small in the regions where a larger velocity is observed. However, the PF shows less distribution than the GF, regardless of the measurement position. Owing to the importance of strong gusts, the PF could be a more useful index for evaluating strong winds speed within the urban canopy layer.

Experimental and modelling studies of collision avoidance strategy choices and behavioural characteristics in interweaving pedestrian flow.

The mechanisms of collision avoidance (CA) behaviours in interweaving pedestrian flow movements are important for pedestrian space planning and emergency management but not well understood yet. In this paper, a series of controlled interweaving pedestrian flow experiments with different densities are carried out to investigate the CA behaviours, especially CA strategy choices. Four types of CA strategies are manually identified in these experiments. Nine characteristic parameters based on the trajectory data are defined to explore the characteristics of CA behaviours. The experimental results reveal that (i) the CA behaviours change with density levels; (ii) heterogeneities can be found for individual pedestrians; (iii) the defined characteristic parameters show different statistical features for different types of CA strategies, and correlations exist between most of the parameter pairs; (iv) it usually takes 0.5–2.5 s to complete a CA process with a trajectory length of 0.5–3.5 m. A multi-nomial logit (MNL) model and a long-short-term-memory (LSTM) model are established respectively for predicting pedestrians' choices of CA strategies using the selected characteristic parameters as inputs. The modelling results prove the importance of using time-series data for pedestrian behaviour modelling, and the LSTM models show advantages over the MNL model at this point.

Pedestrians with Disabilities and Town and City Streets: From Shared to Inclusive Space?

This article highlights the importance of ensuring that accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities, as required by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, is fully embedded in efforts to reduce the dominance of cars in city streets and promote more active modes of travel (including walking, wheeling and cycling) in line with global agendas. Drawing on emerging findings from the Inclusive Public Space research project, we present and critically reflect on types of difficulty associated with streets in which what is commonly known as a ‘shared space’ design operates, and those in which all or part of the available space is designated as primarily for pedestrian use. The data on which this analysis is based is qualitative, deriving from 83 semi-structured interviews about the experiences of our participants (a substantial majority of whom identified as having a disability) in two large UK cities and their wider metropolitan areas. The types of exclusionary experience described by our participants are organised into two broad overlapping categories – first, difficulties associated with navigating environments in which kerbs have been removed; and second, difficulties associated with interacting with vehicles (including bicycles) within and at the boundaries of shared or pedestrian spaces. Our findings are in line with those of previous projects that challenge and complicate claims that ‘shared space’ design, with its removal of kerbs and controlled crossings, enhances safety and mobility for all. Further, they demonstrate that many of the concerns associated with ‘shared space’ environments are also applicable to other types of street environment intended primarily for pedestrians. As well as highlighting and raising awareness of potential types of exclusion against which action should be taken, we draw attention to measures that could reduce the risk of such exclusionary barriers arising and persisting.
 
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Rearrangement Heritage Peneleh Region

There are many heritage buildings from the colonial era in Surabaya. Heritage building want to be used tourism attraction. The problem now is the process of urban space design was not optimal. Settlement Building has not a been regulated. Density of population make air pollution and decrease green area. Pedestrian space is not feasible, even circulation and parking are not available. There are many streets vendor sellers above the highway to impede the traffics vehicle. The purpose of the existing problems will be revived in the heritage building's, produce a quality environment and create green area. Rearrangement of the Peneleh area will be made heritage tourism become worthy and can benefit to the next generation. Theory that will be used next is the circulation and parking, open space, pedestrian ways, activity support and signage there in urban design process by Hamid Shirvani. Method used in the research naturalistic paradigm. Qualitative strategy method because it can identify physical and non-physical aspects by observ and documentation exist activity and conditions. Using primary and secondary data tactics. Results this paper there is arrange and design Peneleh area, of the structured to revive existing potential to become heritage tourism.

"We see each other from a distance": Neighbourhood social relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic matter for older adults' social connectedness.

IntroductionWe extend previous research to illustrate how individual, interpersonal and neighbourhood factors in a high-density urban setting in Vancouver, Canada, shape social connectedness experiences of community-dwelling older adults during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe conducted 31 semi-structured interviews and collected objective measures of loneliness and social connectedness (surveys).ResultsThree dimensions of the neighbourhood environment influenced social connectedness: (i) interactions with neighbours, (ii) involvement with neighbourhood-based organizations, and (ii) outdoor pedestrian spaces. Seventy-one percent of participants felt a strong sense of belonging to their local community, while 39% were classified as high or extremely lonely.SummaryMany participants leveraged pre-existing social ties to maintain connections during the pandemic. However, volunteer outreach was vital for more isolated older adults. Although many participants felt lonely and isolated at times, the relative ease and accessibility with which they could connect with others in their neighbourhood environment, may have helped mitigate persistent loneliness.ConclusionStrategies that foster social connectedness over the longer term, need to prioritize the needs of older adults who face multiple barriers to equitable social participation.

An attempt to distinguish physical and socio-psychological influences on pedestrian bottleneck.

It has been realized that the distinction between social-psychological effects and physical effects in pedestrian crowds is complex, and so the relevance of social psychology for the properties of pedestrian streams is still discussed controversially. Although physics-based models appear to capture many properties rather accurately, it was argued that simple systems of self-driven particles could not explain certain emergent phenomena. In particular, results from a recent empirical study of pedestrian flow at bottlenecks have been interpreted as indicating the relevance of social psychology even in relatively simple scenarios of crowd dynamics. The study showed a surprising dependence of the density near the bottleneck on the width of the corridor leading to it. The density increased with increasing corridor width, although a wider corridor provides more space for pedestrians. It has been argued that this observation is a consequence of social norms, which trigger the effect by a preference for queuing in such situations. However, convincing evidence for this hypothesis is still missing. Here, we reconsider this scenario from a physics perspective using computer simulations of a simple microscopic velocity-based model.

Analysis of Pedestrian Performance by Integrating both Quantitative and Qualitative Factors

The importance of non-motorized movements, explicitly walking, and its corresponding impact on social, economic, and environmental aspects has always been overlooked due to the convenience brought by motorized vehicles. An automobile-dependent society mirrors the rise and worsening of several transportation problems, such as road-wide traffic congestion, massive fuel consumption, and excessive CO2emissions. In response to these aggravating situations and in support of various national and international calls, the main objective of this study was to extract the significant factors influencing the pedestrian level of service and walkability and to subsequently develop a predictive mathematical model for evaluating pedestrian conditions. Factors influencing the pedestrian level of service and walkability were initially identified through an extensive review and evaluation of existing studies, literature, and other relevant resources. A cause-and-effect analysis was used to develop an Ishikawa Diagram tackling pedestrian performance. The finalized factors were incorporated into the development of the Pedestrian Performance Assessment Questionnaire (PPAQ), which was utilized for data acquisition. Survey responses were then subjected to factor analysis after satisfying several tests for assumptions and suitability to extract the root causes influencing pedestrian performance. The validated root causes were then integrated to form the Pedestrian Performance Audit Tool (PPAT), a tool used in evaluating pedestrian areas in Tarlac City, Philippines. Data was analyzed through ordinal regression analysis to develop the multi-objective pedestrian performance prediction model. Results showed that there are six critical predictors of pedestrian performance unified in the final mathematical model: Pedestrian Space (PS), Official’s Intervention (OI), Ambiance (A), Vibrance (V), Street Vendors (SV), and Trash Bins (TB), and is the most significant contribution of the study. The model's validity was ascertained through a confusion matrix, which resulted in an acceptable rating. The comparison between calculated and perceived values together with the use of odds ratios served as the basis for the interpretation of some of the key results and findings. Finally, recommendations were also presented which can be a basis for the development of sustainable programs and interventions for the improvement of the pedestrian system. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-06-02 Full Text: PDF

Research on Pedestrian Space Disorder in Old City Living Streets: A Case Study on the Anzipian Area of Harbin

Livable quality promotion is an indispensable guideline of inventory renewal, and the old city’s living street quality is the main focus of attention in this context. Based on the physical disorder theory, this paper takes the Anzipian area of Harbin as the research object, conducts virtual audits through street view images, and quantifies the degree of pedestrian space disorder. Then, this paper analyses the main problem of pedestrian space disorder in the old city living streets and points out optimal design strategies for these problems. Finally, the enlightenment of old city living street renewal research was summarized and the future direction of street physical quality research was prospected.

Pedestrian Area Development in Smart City Concept in Tangerang City

The city government of Tangerang has not been able to apply the concept of smart cities, while urban development has not used the concept of smart (intelligen) and attractive (attractive) which facilitates infrastructure, technology, and attracts local people based on a forward vision regarding the needs, capabilities and resources that exist. , safe and comfortable pedestrian facilities, and public spaces for pedestrians that can create an urban cultural concept that can provide business controversies that can help migrants and communities enjoy the city by foot. The purpose of this study is to study how the Tangerang City government can implement a development system that can be lived in and can be visited in accordance with the Tangerang Direct motto. This study uses a qualitative method that studies the literature with systematic literature review techniques by descriptive data analysis. The results of this study indicate that the Tangerang city government has just realized the construction of a pedestrian lane with a ratio of 72.40% of the length of the city road which has a length of 316.46 km with a very narrow space dimension of 1.5 meters combined with greening areas.

How are happy and unhappy people differently affected by their local environments? The heterogeneous relationship between happiness and local environments in Seoul, Korea

This study aims to reveal that the subjective happiness of individuals is affected not only by socioeconomic conditions but also by the local environments in which they live, and the conditions demanded by citizens in the local environment may vary depending on the level of happiness. We use the 2018 Seoul Survey of approximately 40,000 citizens (±0.4%p sampling error at 95% confidence level) and generate a final sample of 30,728 individuals between the ages of 25 and 65 years. The results of the unconditional quantile regression show a heterogeneous (non-linear) relationship between happiness and local environments. More specifically, we observe a decreasing importance of physical environments (leisure, green spaces, pedestrian spaces, public transit, public amenities, and community pride) and a increasing importance of socio-relational characteristics of the environment (trust, altruism, and safety) with increasing quantiles of happiness. Our findings suggest that public policies aimed at promoting citizen happiness through improving the local environments should more actively consider issues of efficiency and equity.

상업지역 가로공간에 대한 보행자 중심 환경 요소 분석 - 성수동 연무장길을 중심으로 -

The street space of the external environment can have a direct effect on attracting pedestrians into the interior in the indoor architectural environment. The purpose of this study is to extract images that can give the identity of commercial streets, analyze pedestrian-based pedestrian environment analysis, and analyze of the exterior environment. Street space analysis items were established through previous studies. The survey was conducted based on the analysis frame based on pedestrian, limited space within 500M of Seongsu-dong Yeonmujang-gil, and the analysis method qualitatively evaluated and described items derived from each analysis table. The results of the study are as follows. First, The narrow street space centered on pedestrians can have a higher impact on pedestrians than the road where the wide roadway travels. Second, The image of the street space from the perspective of a pedestrian can be extracted and provided as visual basic data considering pedestrians when designing based on the street space. Third, The environment of pedestrians showed high satisfaction, and accessibility and convenience were measured to be high satisfaction, but comfort, stability, and environment were measured to be low. Fourth, As a result of evaluating the external environmental elements of architecture through diagrams, commercial elements for each space for pedestrians were blocked. This study can contribute the foundation for a pedestrian-centered pedestrian-friendly environment, which is the basis for designing commercial spaces in street spaces in the future.

Twitter Data Mining to Map Pedestrian Experience of Open Spaces

This research investigated the classification and visualisation of Twitter user-generated data. Twitter data were classified based on their sentiment relating to pedestrian experience of the quality of open spaces, based on their content. The research methodology for Twitter data collection, processing and analysis included five phases: data collection, data pre-processing, data classification, data visualisation and data analysis. The territorial focus was on Oxford Street, London, UK. Special attention was placed on the questions regarding the potential of using Twitter data for extracting relevant topics for the public space and investigating whether the sentiment for these topics can relate to urban design and improvement of pedestrian space. The proposed research model considered amount and relevance, its possibilities regarding the interpretation of the collected sample, the potential of the data for the purpose of the analysis of pedestrian space quality, the precision of sentiment determination and the usability of data in relation to a particular open public space.

VARIATIONS OF SCENARIO MODELS PERCEPTION OF ARCHITECTURAL OBJECTS IN PEDESTRIAN SPACES

Рroblem statement – the organization of the perception of architectural objects in time as certain scenarios, is one of the key areas that allows you to attach the level of emotional expression of architecture to other arts. The relevance of this scientific field is related to the need to implement parametric approaches in design, in particular to maintain high aesthetic qualities of the urban environment. The analysis of research and publications shows a great interest and a number of directions in the formation of pedestrian spaces, but does not fully reveal the methods of forming the qualities and objects of the architectural environment. The purpose of this publication is to define and substantiate scenario models of pedestrian space organization based on the study of established forms of various arts that unfold over time, as well as on the study of evolution and experience of forming such compositions in urban planning. The novelty of the publication is to reveal the origins of common scenario models of pedestrian space, and the role of components of the architectural environment and architectural objects in creating a multifaceted scenario, and the reasons for combining certain approaches in a real project. Research methods are based on the study of the development of forms and plots in parallel arts (theatrical scenography, music, cinema), where such models are more formalized and used structured in time, which allows by analogy to find physical parameters of architectural compositions and regulate the variability of visual іncentives. The result of the study is the systematization of the main models of pedestrian spaces scenario organization (medieval, classical, based on the natural environment and the intervention of script compositions on environmental design, citations surrounded by high-rise buildings fragments of the historic city), as well as and further reproduction of these prototypes in modern construction. These models are used in combination, because the architect takes into account all the techniques allowed by the current organizational structure of the design. The identified methodological approaches and models were used in the author’s project practice, as well as in the course and diploma design of FABD NAU. In the further research the author intends to systematize digital parameters of such modeling with use of the resulted analogues.

TASKS IN FORMING THE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK OF THE CITY

The article raises the issue of assessment of pedestrian space assets as a means of supplementing the transport network and in the formation of urban communication systems. On the example of the city of Lviv, the possibility of optimizing the city’s radial-ring structure communications network in the conditions of the complicated development of rural transport communications in hilly terrain, by building circular pedestrian connections, is highlighted.
 The basis of the research is a comparative cartographic analysis of the plan of Lviv with the use of geoinformation systems for the localization of pedestrian spaces, their dependence on the city structure.
 The analysis of pedestrian traffic in Lviv shows that the existing pedestrian network – sidewalks, boulevards, pedestrian squares – duplicates the street and road network of the city. Most of the pedestrian spaces are located along the streets, bypassing the landscape areas of the city. Existing pedestrian communications do not provide connections between the main city districts with each other, with the city center and recreation places.
 The task is assigned to pedestrian elements of the city – sidewalks, boulevards, alleys, etc. Three types of pedestrian communications can be distinguished according to the type of task. The first type of pedestrian communications is rationally combinated. It provids movement between point A and B. The second type is for walking and recreation. It is interpreted as rationally whole. Both involve city-wide movement. The third type of pedestrian communications is local. It involves movement within the vernacular district. It is classified as a "traditional" element in the structure of the city district.
 The research considers the possibility of integrating pedestrian communications in transport network (in particular, the first type). To replace it in areas where the laying of transport connections is impossible due to planning restrictions. Consideration of pedestrian spaces as a full-fledged structural element of the city's transport and pedestrian network develops an alternative approach to overcoming communication problems between urbanized territories, separated by elements of the city's natural framework or other insurmountable planning restrictions (for example, as nature conservation landscapes or monuments).

Improving tactile ground surface indicators based on fuzzy-ahp method: The case of Gulou district, Nanjing, China

There are many problems in the practical use of tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs), and the large amount of TGSI construction currently being carried out does not always have a beneficial impact on the travel of visually impaired groups. Taking the roadside pedestrian space in the Gulou District of Nanjing City as an example, this paper established a TGSI quality evaluation system including six first-level indicators and 24 second-level indicators. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to determine the weight of the indicators at all levels, and evaluate six urban main roads, six urban secondary main roads and six sidewalks beside access roads, which were selected randomly. Visually impaired people were then asked to evaluate the TGSIs in the pedestrian spaces along these roads. Statistical analysis and evaluation showed that the indicators used in the evaluation system were satisfactory. The evaluation results revealed problems with the standardization, safety, accessibility, continuity, comfort and aesthetics of TGSIs in the urban roadside pedestrian space of Gulou. Analysis of the combined data showed that travel conditions for the visually impaired are currently worse in the old city area than in the new city area and that they are worse in low-grade pedestrian space than along high-grade roads. In order to solve these problems, strategies are put forward for improving the quality of TGSIs in the pedestrian space of Nanjing’s Gulou District in four aspects: improving TGSI structure, optimizing TGSI location, improving the TGSI system, and adapting TGSI implementation according to local conditions.

Understanding the allocation and use of street space in areas of high people activity

The allocation of street space is strongly contested in many cities, particularly in areas where there is a high level of people activity. In these areas, movement and place objectives are often in conflict with one another. The allocation of street space involves a range of governance, political and ethical considerations, yet efforts to reallocate street space should also be informed by empirical evidence of street space allocation and use. This can help to ensure that street space is distributed more equitably to users and support broader goals for increasing the uptake of more sustainable forms of transport. Using a case study of Melbourne's activity centres, this research aimed to understand how much street space is allocated and used by each mode of transport. It also explored factors that are associated with the use of each mode of transport. Multi-modal observational person counts and street measurements were undertaken at 57 different locations within 36 activity centres across Melbourne during 2020. For each site, data related to street and activity centre characteristics were compiled. Key results showed that on average, based on the principle of egalitarianism, pedestrian space in the form of footpaths is significantly undersupplied, while bicycle lanes, car parking and shared general traffic/bus lanes were oversupplied. When viewed across individual sites, considerable variability was found in street space allocation vs. use. Results also showed a number of street/activity centre characteristics that were associated with use of the street space for different modes. Among others, these included footpath width, clearways, movement and place classifications, distance to the Central Business District (CBD), presence of car sharing, car ownership, income and age. The research findings can be used to better inform decision-making on street space reallocation efforts through identifying locations where street space could be allocated more equitably to users.