Measuring, understanding and modelling the Walking Neighborhood as a function of built environment and socioeconomic variables

Abstract

Modelling the Perceived Walking Neighborhood (PWN) may help understanding how, changes on urban space produce potential impacts on walkability and, therefore, on health, transport, accessibility and social cohesion. This paper proposes a method to measure how the built environment and socioeconomic diversity play a role in the subjective definition of the boundaries of the PWN. The methodology is based on discrete choice models and was applied to data coming from a survey to 170 residents of Santiago, Chile, who reported their PWN shape by sketching it over a digital map. Results show that built environment and individual characteristics have a significant and heterogeneous impact on the size and shape of the PWN. As a proof of concept, the method is used to measure the potential changes in walkability generated by a large urban project in Santiago.