The Walkability Potential Matrix – A New Method for Measuring Sustainable Destination Configurations in Town and City Centres

Abstract

The object of this present study is to reveal the spatial configuration of 55 Norwegian towns and cities related to degree of walkability potentials. The aim is to investigate to what extent the street or road profile affect the walkability potentials in the town centres based on the distribution of roads in comparison of streets based on street names. The focus is on the town centres, because they tend to have the largest walkability potentials. For this, the last part of the street or road names is used to identifying whether it is a balanced street or a road encouraging car use. Likewise, the number of X and T junctions is counted in the town centre. Correlations between T and X junctions were made, and correlations between road and streets were made for the town centre of all 55 Norwegian towns and cities. The results show that the higher number of X-junctions in correlation with T-junctions, the shorter urban blocks, implying higher degree of walkability potentials in the town centres. Likewise, the higher numbers of streets in correlation with roads in a town centre, the higher degree of facilitation of pedestrian friendly pathways. Three different clusters are identified in the statistical analyses, which comply with the reputations the various town and city centres have regards walking attractiveness or private car dependency. The higher number of X-junctions in correlation with T-junctions, the more integrated the town centre is on a local as well as global scale. Likewise, the higher number of streets in correlation with roads, the more integrated the town centre is. Finally, the more the town or city centres have an orthogonal grid structure consisting of streets, the higher integration and thus higher walkability potentials. The method is a first step to have an operational and easy applicable tool to measure degrees of walkability potentials in town and city centres.