Identification of elements of the urban landscape which encourage walking in Santiago

Abstract

Walking is a sustainable and healthy transport mode, which should be promoted through urban planning and design. In this context, the objective of this research is to identify and characterise the elements of the urban landscape which promote walking and, contrarily, the elements which inhibit walking in six peri-central neighbourhoods in Santiago, based on the perception of walkers. With this aim, 120 walking interviews were realised during September, October and November 2018 with residents, allowing for a detailed record of the self-declared perception of pedestrians about their urban mobility environments. Results show that elements which promote walking are the presence of wide sidewalks, trees and mixed use. In contrast, factors that inhibit walking are narrow sidewalks, intersections, and especially motorized traffic and vehicular noise. Finally, based on the results, recommendations are proposed for the planning and design of streets that promote walking.