WALKABILITY

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WALKABILITY
Improving Pedestrian Infrastructure and
Services In Bangkok January 2009
The World Bank January 2009
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WALKABILITY DEFINITION

• According to Wikipedia - In urban design,
  walkability is the measure of the overall walking
  conditions in an area.
• The definition for walkability is "The extent to
  which the built environment is friendly to the
  presence of people living, shopping, visiting,
  enjoying or spending time in an area".
• Factors affecting walkability include, but are
  not limited to land use mix street
  connectivity residential density (residential
  units per area of residential use)
  "transparency" which includes amount of glass in
  windows and doors, as well as orientation and
  proximity of homes and buildings to watch over
  the street plenty of places to go to near the
  majority of homes placemaking, street designs
  that work for people, not just cars and retail
  floor area ratio.
• Major infrastructural factors include access to
  mass transit, presence and quality walkways,
  buffers to moving traffic (planter strips,
  on-street parking or bike lanes) and pedestrian
  crossings, aesthetics, nearby local destinations,
  air quality, shade or sun in appropriate seasons,
  street furniture, traffic volume and speed. .and
  wind conditions.
• One of the best ways to quickly determine how
  walkable a block, corridor or neighborhood is is
  to count the number of people walking, lingering
  and enjoying a space. The diversity of people,
  and especially the presence of children, seniors
  and people with disabilities, denotes the
  quality, completeness and wholesomeness of a
  walkable space.

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WALKABILITY DEFINITION

• Although a significant proportion of all trips
  are made by foot in developing countries, minimal
  attention is typically given to pedestrian
  planning and infrastructure
• Insufficient pedestrian facilities
• Increase risk of pedestrian injuries and
  fatalities
• Impede social and economic mobility
• Present tourism and investment opportunity costs

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WALKABILITY INDEX PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• Generate awareness of walkability as an important
  issue in developing cities
• Document the public interest to address
  walkability issues
• Help city planners understand scope and extent of
  local pedestrian conditions, relative to other
  cities
• Provide city planners with the information
  necessary to identify specific pedestrian-related
  shortcomings, as well with recommendations for
  next steps

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FINAL PRODUCTS (Long and Short-Term)

• Walkability Index
• Survey Implementation Guide
• Step by step guide for conducting Index surveys
• Countermeasure Guidebook
• Immediate actions city planners and policy makers
  can take to improve Index standing
• Pilot walkability surveys
• Pilot survey results
• Survey implementation guide
• Preliminary models for index calculation

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WALKABILITY INDEX COMPONENTS

• Safety and Security
• Can pedestrians safely travel by foot?
• Convenience
• How attractive and convenient is the pedestrian
  environment?
• Policy Support
• To what degree does the government support
  improvements in pedestrian infrastructure,
  safety, etc?
• Study area selection
• City boundary and Street selection
• Time of day considerations

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WALKABILITY INDEX DATA COLLECTION

• Physical Infrastructure Survey
• Limited raw data on the availability and quality
  of pedestrian infrastructure
• Walker Survey
• Will enable residents most impacted by the
  walkability of a city to voice their opinions on
  current conditions and to suggest improvements.

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The Walkability Test in Bangkok

• Comments from field testers in Washington,
  Chicago, Ahmedabad, Manila, Beijing, Jogyakarta,
  Delhi, etc.
• Bangkok field tests in June 2008 WB Youth Group
  (almost 80 volunteers that formed 42 survey
  teams), 29 cells surveyed in 14 Areas, Covered 26
  square areas of 16 (4x4) Km2 Total Area surveyed
  416 Km2
• Walkability Ambassadors in Asia Clean Air Asia
  Initiative
• Currently the survey is also ongoing/planned in
  Singapore, Hyderabad, Metro-Manila, Jakarta,
  Jogjakarta, Katmandu, Colombo...
• Right to walk foundation is very active in
  Hydrabad, India

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Bangkok Results
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Bangkok Results

• Total of 59 Survey Sheets submitted 29
  surveys valid in 14 areas
• 7 areas above average On Nut, Bangpakok,
  Siriraj, Ari, Bangkapi, Pahon Yothin-Kaset and
  Ramkhamhaeng
• 7 areas below average Yaowarat, Hua Mak,,
  Samray, Chatuchak, Ratchadaphisek, Pathumwan and
  Wat Tha Phra-Bang Khun Si

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Main Findings

• Besides the comparative results, there are other
  issues identified through the survey
• Lack of coordination in infrastructure
  development
• Poor maintenance and cleanliness
• Lack of law enforcement and bad habits / behavior

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Is walkability an issue in Bangkok?
2. Is there someone in charge of the footpaths? Who?
3. How can awareness (public and Officials) be
   raised?
4. Should someone develop a walkability index for
   BKK? ?
5. Which area are most important?
6. Who would develop and use walkability index and
   How?
7. What are the most important factors that should
   be considered while measuring walkability?
8. Do you agree with the list?
9. What data should be collected?
10. Who pays for it? What are the possible funding
    sources?  
11. ????