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Active Transportation on a Complete Street: Perceived and Audited Walkability Correlates
Wyatt A Jensen1, Barbara B Brown2, Ken R Smith3
1Department of Family & Consumer Studies, University of Utah, 225 S 1400 E RM 228, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. wyattjensen@gmail.com.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|September 6, 2017
Summary
Both perceived and audited walkability measures are crucial for understanding active transportation near complete streets. Residents engage more in active transport when living close to these streets and perceiving them as safe and aesthetically pleasing.
Area of Science:
- Urban planning and public health research.
- Environmental psychology and transportation science.
Background:
- Few studies integrate both perceived and audited measures of walkability.
- Understanding factors influencing active transportation near urban infrastructure is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine perceived (Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale-Abbreviated, NEWS-A) and audited (Irvine-Minnesota Inventory, IMI) walkability measures.
- To assess the relationship between walkability, proximity to complete streets, and active transportation.
Main Methods:
- Residents within 2 km of a complete street were surveyed using NEWS-A.
- Objective walkability features were audited using IMI and analyzed with decision trees.
- Statistical analyses explored interactions between perceived walkability, distance, and active transportation.
Main Results:
- Perceived walkability, especially aesthetics and safety, combined with proximity, predicted active transportation.
- Audited walkability analysis identified 12 subtypes of street segments, classifying active transportation with 81% accuracy.
- Both subjective perceptions and objective features of walkability significantly predicted active transportation.
Conclusions:
- Both perceived and audited walkability are vital for promoting active transportation.
- Decision tree analysis of audited walkability shows promise for intervention development.
- Complete street design should consider resident perceptions of safety and aesthetics alongside objective features.