WALKABILITY, PERCEPTION, and ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION Past, present, and potential in beautiful Altadena, California an APPLIED PLANNING RESEARCH PROJECT by Justin L. Robertson, MURP Candidate // jrobertson@ucla.edu WHAT WE KNEW + “WALKABLE” NEIGHBORHOODS can be physically, socially, and economically HEALTHIER than those that aren’t “pedestrian-friendly.” [1]
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+ In places, Altadena’s commercial corridors include vacant spaces, swift traffic, incomplete sidewalks, little shade, and could attract local retail spending that they currently lose to regional commercial centers like Pasadena and Burbank. [2] + Altadenans say they want improved streets and economic development [3]; walkability is critical for safe routes to schools, for Main Street revitalization, and for so much more. [4]
Intersection (Objective)
WHAT WE LEARNED + Resident perceptions of street segment walkability were generally at odds with objective measurements of pedestrian safety and aesthetics
+ A great walk is USEFUL, SAFE, COMFORTABLE, and INTERESTING. [1] + Good information helps us target limited resources to maximum effect. [5]
+ Perceptions of walkability were generally more positive than measurements of existing conditions would suggest
+ PERCEPTION MATTERS. [6]
Segment (Perception)
WHAT WE DID In February 2014, over 50 Altadenans surveyed the condition of streets and intersections along two commercial corridors. They used the peer-reviewed Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index, which measures how SAFE and INVITING the streets actually are, and how walkable people THINK the streets are.
+ Bias from survey training is not immediately apparent in results
Lincoln Avenue
NEXT STEPS + Test for relationships between perception scores and:
Segment (Objective) Intersections
Street Segments - West Side
0 - 20
0 - 20 Unsuitable for pedestrians
21 - 40
21 - 40 Poor conditions for pedestrians exist
41 - 60
41 - 60 Basic conditions for pedestrians exist
61 - 80
61 - 80 Reasonable conditions for pedestrians exist
81 - 100
81 - 100 Ideal conditions for pedestrians exist
- proximity to sensitive uses - aesthetic conditions - safety conditions - scores of adjacent intersections
Perception Score 8 9 - 10 11 - 15
+ Utilize results of perception and objective measurements of pedestrian environmental quality to develop recommendations for improvements within commercial corridors
16 - 20 21 - 25
ri, Es s: ce ity ur un So m m Co
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Chris Tilly (Faculty Advisor), Karen Gibson and Neighbors Building a Better Altadena (Client), Leobardo Estrada REFERENCES: [1] Speck, J. (2013). Walkable city: How downtown can save America, one step at a time. Macmillan. [2] Keyser Marston Associates, Inc. (2004). Lake Avenue Market Opportunities Assessment. May 2004. [3] Altadena Community Visioning Process - Visioning Report. (2012). [4] Boarnet, M. G., Anderson, C. L., Day, K., McMillan, T., & Alfonzo, M. (2005). Evaluation of the California Safe Routes to School legislation: urban form changes and children’s active transportation to school. American journal of preventive medicine, 28(2), 134-140; Cortright, J. (2009). Walking the walk: How walkability raises home values in US cities; Litman, T. A. (2003). Economic value of walkability. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1828(1), 3-11. [5] Arrow, K. J., & Lind, R. C. (2013). Uncertainty and the evaluation of public investment decisions. Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research, (ahead-of-print), 1-16. 0 0.125 [6] Giles-Corti, B., & Donovan, R. J. (2003). Relative influences of individual, social environmental, and physical environmental correlates of walking. American journal of public health, 93(9), 1583-1589.
Not Shown: Lake Avenue Study Area
0.25
0.5 Miles
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