Walkability Explorer. An Evaluation and Design Support Tool for Walkability

  • Ivan Blečić DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy
  • Arnaldo Cecchini DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy
  • Tanja Congiu DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy
  • Giovanna Fancello DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy
  • Giuseppe Andrea Trunfio DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy
Keywords: Walkability, Evaluation, Decision support, GIS, ELECTRE TRI

Abstract

Walkability Explorer is a software tool for the evaluation of urban walkability which, we argue, is an important aspect of the quality of life in cities. Many conventional approaches to the assessment of quality of life measure the distribution, density and distances of different opportunities in space. But distance is not all there is. To reason in terms of urban capabilities of people we should also take into account the quality of pedestrian accessibility and of urban opportunities offered by the city. The software tool we present in this paper is an user-friendly implementation of such an evaluation approach to walkability. It includes several GIS and analysis features, and is interoperable with other standard GIS and data-analysis tools.

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Author Biographies

Ivan Blečić, DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy

Researcher in the field of Economic Appraisal and Evaluation at the Department of Architecture Design and Urban Planning of Alghero, University of Sassari.

Arnaldo Cecchini, DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy

Dean of the Department of Architecture Design and Urban Planning of Alghero, University of Sassari, and full Professor in Urban Planning.

Tanja Congiu, DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy

Temporary researcher in the field of Transportation at the Department of Architecture Design and Urban Planning of Alghero, University of Sassari.

Giovanna Fancello, DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy

Post-doctoral fellow in the field of Urban Planning at the Department of Architecture Design and Urban Planning of Alghero, University of Sassari.

Giuseppe Andrea Trunfio, DADU, Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy

Researcher in Computer Engineering at the Department of Architecture Design and Urban Planning of Alghero, University of Sassari.

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Published
2014-05-18
How to Cite
BlečićI., CecchiniA., CongiuT., FancelloG., & TrunfioG. A. (2014). Walkability Explorer. An Evaluation and Design Support Tool for Walkability. TeMA - Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment. https://doi.org/10.6092/1970-9870/2535