Comfort and Time-Based Walkability Index Design: A GIS-Based Proposal
Abstract
:1. Introduction
- All required data are readily available. It is possible to compute the proposed WI without the need for field work.
- The proposed WI includes comfort factors (noise and sun/shade conditions) that encourage or discourage walking. If shade is considered as a comfort factor, then the WI could be computed at different times during the day and on different days during the year. This makes the proposed WI dynamic and variable in line with local conditions.
- All factors involved are weighted according to their relevance for walking.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area
2.2. Data Collection
2.3. Observation Units
2.4. Techniques
2.5. Preparing the Factors
2.6. Defining the Weights of the Factors
2.7. Integration of Factors
2.8. Tools
2.9. Validation of Sun/Shade Model
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. Questionnaire Form
Appendix B. Validation of Sun/Shade Model
Appendix C. Maps of Walkability Index
Appendix D. Fieldwork Photos on Walkers on Shady Areas, August 2018
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Author | Journal | Country | Walkability Factors | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pop. Density | Activities | Connectivity | Noise | Shade | Other | |||
Current study S | - | Spain | yes | yes | yes | yes | Yes | - |
2. Habibian et al. (2018) S, [33] | Sustainable Cities and Society | Iran | yes | yes | yes | - | - | destination accessibility |
3. Gullón et al. (2017) S, [34] | International Journal of Health Geographics | Spain | yes | - | yes | - | - | Residential Density, Retail Destinations |
4. Giles et al. (2014) S, [22] | University of Melbourne | Australia | yes | yes | yes | - | - | - |
5. Coffee et al. (2013) S, [35] | Sustainable Cities and Society | Australia | - | yes | yes | - | - | dwelling density and net retail area |
6. Freeman et al. (2012) S, [36] | Journal of Urban Health | USA | yes | yes | yes | - | - | subway stop density, the ratio of retail building floor area to retail land area |
7. Glazier et al. (2012) S, [37] | ResearchGate | Canada | yes | yes | yes | - | - | dwelling density and availability of retail stores and services within a 10-min walk |
9. Frank et al. (2010) S, [21] | British Journal of Sports Medicine | USA | yes | yes | yes | - | - | Retail floor area ratio |
10. Van Dyck et al. (2010) S, [38] | Preventive Medicine | Belgian | yes | yes | yes | - | - | - |
11. Zhu et al. (2008) P,S [39] | American Journal of Preventive Medicine | USA | yes | yes | yes | - | tree shade | potential walkers, pedestrian facilities and Neighborhood-level safety Maintenance, Visual quality, Physical amenities, and Safety |
12. Leslie et al. (2007) S, [40] | Health and Place | Australia | - | yes | yes | - | - | Dwelling density and Net area retail |
8. Pikora et al. (2006) P, [41] | Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise | Australia | - | - | - | - | - | functional, safety, aesthetic, and destination of physical environmental factors |
13. Dannenberg et al. (2004) P, [28] | American Journal of Health Promotion | USA | - | - | - | - | yes | Pedestrian facilities, pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, crosswalks, maintenance, walkway width, roadway buffer, Universal accessibility and aesthetics |
14. Walk Score S, [31] | Walk Score® | Australia, Canada, USA | yes | yes | yes | - | - | Block length |
Data Set | Format | Source | Data Use |
---|---|---|---|
Districts, Census sections, Street network center line | Shapefile | National Institute of Statistics (official street map) | Defining factors and presenting the results |
Sidewalk | Municipal Cartography (Urban planning and infrastructures) National Land Registry | Capturing all values of the walkability index | |
Buildings, Land Parcels, Elevation of streets and buildings | Shade factor | ||
Strategic noise map | Image | General Directorate of Sustainability and Environmental Control (Environment and Mobility) | Noise factor |
Type of business activities | Text file | Activities census (Economy) | Diversity of activities factor |
Demographic Census | Municipal Register (Demography) | Population density factor |
Walkability Index Factors | Population Density | Diversity of Activities | Connectivity | Absence of Noise | Shade Factor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean individual importance [0–10] | 6.65 | 7.94 | 7.94 | 5.82 | 6.80 |
Factor weights | WF1 = 0.19 | WF2 = 0.23 | WF3 = 0.23 | WF4 = 0.16 | W5 = 0.19 |
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Al Shammas, T.; Escobar, F. Comfort and Time-Based Walkability Index Design: A GIS-Based Proposal. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 2850. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162850
Al Shammas T, Escobar F. Comfort and Time-Based Walkability Index Design: A GIS-Based Proposal. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(16):2850. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162850
Chicago/Turabian StyleAl Shammas, Tarek, and Francisco Escobar. 2019. "Comfort and Time-Based Walkability Index Design: A GIS-Based Proposal" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 16: 2850. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162850
APA StyleAl Shammas, T., & Escobar, F. (2019). Comfort and Time-Based Walkability Index Design: A GIS-Based Proposal. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16), 2850. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162850