LETTERS: TRANSPORT planning, design and operations are increasingly driven by concerns about adopting greener, more sustainable systems that reduce emissions, improve public health and minimise costs.
They focus on transport decarbonisation strategies to combat global warming and emphasise a people-centric approach.
They prioritise people having access to efficient, safe and inclusive transport.
These shifts aim to improve transport options and reduce the frequency and distance of trips taken by vehicles by promoting walking as the primary transport model.
The interplay between land use, urban design and road infrastructure design is critical in creating walkable environments.
Efficient land-use planning can create compact, higher-density and mixed-use neighbourhoods where amenities and services are within walking distance.
Good urban design fosters walkability by creating public spaces, parks and amenities that are visually appealing and functional for pedestrians.
Features such as building orientation, street furniture (like benches, water fountains and rubbish bins), signage and landscaping make streets more inviting and functional.
Road infrastructure should be designed to boost connectivity, accessibility and pedestrian safety by providing footpaths and creating direct, continuous paths free from obstructions.
Lighting will boost visibility and reduce the risk of accidents.
Refuge islands and raised crosswalks can shorten distances, while pedestrian crossings improve accessibility and convenience.
Technology, including smart infrastructure, can promote walkability. For example, smart traffic lights that adjust based on pedestrian flow can reduce waiting times and boost safety.
The connection between good pedestrian infrastructure and increased public transport usage is evident from a study conducted in Sunway City, Kuala Lumpur.
Improving walkability in car-dependent neighbourhoods and cities requires a multifaceted approach, requiring retrofitting infrastructure, revising zoning policies and implementing placemaking. Placemaking focuses on the people who use a space, rather than just the physical structures or buildings.
Streets can be retrofitted by using a road diet approach, by reducing the number of lanes in streets dedicated to cars to making footpaths and making room for green spaces.
Implementing traffic management and traffic-calming measures, such as speed bumps, narrower lanes and roundabouts to reduce vehicle speeds, are also strategies to retrofit streets.
Revising zoning codes to allow for higher density and mixed-use developments can be achieved by repurposing spaces for new uses.
This can be done by converting parking lots into pedestrian-friendly areas with shops, cafés, gardens and parks.
To achieve the best results, land use and space conversion can be integrated with the placemaking process that focuses on creating public spaces by adding amenities like seating, lighting, public art and landscaping.
A walkability assessment based on a place's walkability score — an index assessing the pedestrian-friendliness of a location — is used to assess walking-related strategies.
These assessments can be improved by using artificial intelligence-based image processing techniques to provide insights into how pedestrians perceive safety and comfort.
These tools can automate the analysis of Google Street View data, allowing transport planners to identify trends and patterns in pedestrian perception in different urban areas.
Let's foster walkable environments that benefit people and the planet.
DR SUSILAWATI
Senior lecturer
School of Engineering
Monash University Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times