Urban intersections effect on pedestrian accessibility
Résumé
Do intersections affect the convenience, pleasantness and quality of walk across the city? The study investigates the effect of spatial and operational configuration of street junctions on walking. A method for analyzing and evaluating urban intersections from the point of view of pedestrians and its operative application in the town of Alghero (Italy) is presented. An ELECTRE TRI rating/classification procedure was used to classify intersectionsaccording to their level of impedance for walking. Since the proposed method is reasonable simple to implement and its results have proven to be easilycommunicable, we believe it can be a useful planning support tool for the development of transportation policies aimed at enhancing pedestrian mobility and a practicable support aid for decision makers interested in prioritize interventions in cities. Furthermore, the proposed evaluation procedure may be incorporated into other evaluation models of urbanwalkability, which frequently put minor attention on (when not entirely ignoring) the effects of intersections on the overall walkability of places.