April 14, 2023 Research Report Meeting

Research Project 2203C

Development of walkable city evaluation method
Project leader: Tomohiro Ichinose (Faculty of Environment andInformation Studies, Keio University）

Project members
Research system• Members

Tomohiro Ichinose (PL) (Keio Univ.), Rumiko Iwasada (journalist), Masanobu Kii(Kagawa Univ.), Kenji Doi (Osaka Univ.), Keisuke Matsuhashi (NIES), Shunsuke
Managi (Kyushu Univ.), Akinobu Murakami (Univ. of Tsukuba), Akinori Morimoto(Waseda Univ.) (eight people in total)• Special researchers

Yusuke Ito (Waseda Univ.), Hiroshi Iwasaki (Chiba Univ.), Teppei Osada(Utsunomiya Univ.), Aya Kojima (Saitama Univ.), Takeru Shibayama (TU Wien),
Kayo Tajima (Rikkyo Univ.), Azusa Toriumi (Univ. of Tokyo) (seven people in total)• Observer

Urban Development Promotion Division, City Planning Bureau, Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Research background
Project proposal• Japan faces a rapid population decline and accelerated aging, prompting efforts to create
more compact cities. However, simply making the city compact is not enough. In 2019, anadvisory panel established by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism
recommended initiating urban revitalization with a focus on creating "comfortable towns thatencourage people to walk." This approach aims to maintain city vitality and enhance appeal,leading to the launch of the "Machinaka Walkable Promotion Program" in FY2020. As ofJanuary 2023, 346 cities across Japan have submitted proposals to promote walkability. This
study's objective is to elucidate a cross-sectional evaluation method for walkable cities. By
examining pioneering examples in Europe and the United States, we intend to develop anassessment method tailored to the unique characteristics of Japanese cities.

We do!
Building a walkable cityField survey results in FY2020–FY2022
Overseas survey conducted in FY2022 due to COVID-19• Sep. 2020: Matsue City, Izumo City (Shimane Pref.)• Nov. 2020: Oita City, Tsukumi City (Oita Pref.)• Jul. 2021: Matsuyama City (Ehime Pref.)• Sep. 2021: Takamatsu City (Kagawa Pref.)• Feb. 2022: Beppu City (Oita Pref.)• Aug. 2022: Vienna (Austria), Paris (France), Barcelona (Spain)• Sep. 2022: Boston, New York City (USA)Shared space in Izumo City

《Standard land price along road》
From Shimane Prefecture Report
5 consecutive
years ofgrowthShifts in total floor area in land readjustment districts

economic ripple effect:162 Billion Yen

Oita Ikoi no Michi

From Oita City ReportPedestrian traffic has increased!
Pedestrian traffic volume has doubled compared tobefore adjustment.

The area is now bustling!
On the widened sidewalks, on every third Sunday of themonth, a market event is held by the local shopping
street, and the area is crowded with many people,including families.

Shifts in pedestrian traffic

Field survey in Matsuyama City

From Matsuyama City Report

Takamatsu City Marugamemachi Shopping Street

Current status of pedestrian traffic in central city areas based on camera measurement

From Takamatsu City Report

Beppu City Kannawa Hot Springhttps://www.gokuraku-jigoku-beppu.com/entries/beppu-hatto-walkParis City Center

ViennaTimes Square, New York City

The High Line, New York City

Central Artery (I-93) and Rose Kennedy Greenwayphoto courtesy:Rose Kennedy Greenway ConservancyWhat is the aim of “walkability”?
Organization of inputs according to social issues and outcomes

Input•••••••••••

Index
Infrastructure development
Regulation introduction
City planning
Transportation planningウェルビーイングの向上

Infrastructure
Security
Poverty
HealthEnvironment
Population decline

アウトカム••
••••

インプット

社会課題

Social issues

OutputImproved wellbeing
Safety and security
Security improvement
Medical cost reduction
Emission reductions
Improved attractivenessEconomic effectWalkability index with different scalesSouthworth 2005

https://www.15minutecity.com
Kato and Kanki, 2017

CityBlock

Kanai et al. 2019

Road structureFramework for evaluating walkability
SocialEconomicEnvironmental Sustainability

Created from Baobeid et al. (2021)

Controlling urban heat islands
Reduce stress on the environment
Reduced CO2 emissions
Contribution to the community
Improved social fabric

Livability
Leisure and culture
Lower crime rates

Improved air quality
Healthcare cost reductions

Increase in property value
Access toCash saving
employment
BettermentalhealthAccessibility
Increased tax revenue

HealthWork productivity
Essential rehabilitation routine
Increased physical activity

Access to school: educational outcome
Urban resilience in transportation

Decreased rates of cardiovascular diseases
Decreased rates of respiratory diseases
Decreased rates of mortality

Walkability evaluation method

Created from Maghelal and Capp (2011)

Objective

Subjective

Distinctive

Based on geographic information andtraffic surveys

Perceptual, self-reported, and GPSbased tracking

Based on observation

Mixed land use, sidewalk width, andstreet connectivity

Interview survey (qualitative)

Invisible relationships

Architectural environment analysis

Quantitative and quantitative surveys
via GPS

New methods

Quantitative; need to meet objectives

Walking habits

Sustainability⑫ Managi

15 Minutes City

③ Shibayama, Tajima⑨ Kojima⑩ Doi
Walk score ④ Osada② Ito
Walkability Index⑦ Murakami⑧ Iwasaki⑥ Shibayama① Toriumi⑪ MLITCity⑤ Ichinose

Neighborhood
Environment Walkable
ScaleHealthEvaluation of walkability (Azusa Toriumi)
Walkability in street space (field observation)

High walkability
Downtown itself
is easy to walk /pleasant space
to walk

Kashiwa

Low walkability

5 minutes from station, 10-minute range (downtown)

一 Sidewalk × Narrow street access on
sidewalk▲＆■ Parking lot entrance ● Bus stop

Pedestrians stop, detour, and run at small distances to cars
entering from parking lot entrances and narrow streets⇒ Difficult to walkInnovations of structures that maintain continuity of sidewalk are
an issueCan walk to downtown (can gowithout using private car)

Walkability from perspective of urban structure (analysis using GIS)
Downtown and residential area representative points

Road distance to downtown
Roughly withinwalking distancePredomina
ntly private
car useNumber of residential area
representative points

MatsudoClose to downtown⇒ Walkable

Tateyama

Far from downtown⇒ Not walkableEvaluations using HLC / Space Syntax / car traffic volume (Yusuke Ito)
Alternative indices used in thisstudy

Presence of old roads due to HLC, Int. V ∝ Walking demand

Side road leading to the bridge over the Kanda
River has a large amount of pedestrian and car
traffic volume

Car traffic volume

Among the old roads, the street in front of the Japan Braille
Library has a large amount of car traffic volume and lacks safety
and comfort
Car traffic volume (cars/12 h)

Pedestrian traffic volume (people/12 h)

Todahira Bridge
Street along Seibu
LineTajima Bridge

Tomita Bridge Tajima BridgeKanda RiverStreet along
Seibu Line

Kamitakahashi
StreetTodahira Bridge

Waseda Street
Tomita Bridge
Street in front ofJapan Braille Library

Waseda Street bend

Street infront ofstation
FormerWaseda
StreetStreet in front ofJapan Braille LibraryRelationship between land transaction price and walkability: Data-driven
research using government open data (Takeru Shibayama, Kayo Tajima)
Narrowed down land transaction price data in Vienna from 1973 to 2021
(about 58,000 cases) to about 3,450 vacant land transactions after 2010
Obtained 17 candidate explanatory variables, including building regulations(height regulations), public transportation service levels, road surface(pavement, etc.), trees, actual land use, land diversity index, number ofrestaurants, etc. Spatially combined with land transaction price data using GIS
Hedonic approach used to conduct multiple regression analysis with three patterns: (a) all
data, (b) stratified by building regulations, and (c) stratified by land use. Quantitative studyof explanatory variables that affect the valuation of walkability through land transaction
pricesInfluence of road pavement surface (aesthetics such as stone pavement, road greening,
walkable area, etc.), number of trees, and amenities (number of restaurants) are morestrongly influenced in low-rise residential areas than high-rise areas andcommercial/industrial areas→Various parameters that have been discussed in the (English) literature on walkability
are more strongly reflected in land transaction prices in low-rise and residential areas

Population density is more strongly reflected in land transaction prices in areas
where high-rise building construction is possible

Measurement using an infrared sensor (Utsunomiya City) (Teppei Osada)<Overview of equipment used>
PYRO-Box: designed, developed, and manufactured by Eco-Counter(France), detects heat radiated from human body and counts traffic
volume<Changes due to COVID19>

Dimensions: 23 × 10 × 18 cm
Mass: 2.6 kg, water resistance IP166
Operating temperature range: -40 degrees to +50
degrees<Measurement point>

Measurement period: 23 July 2016 to present<Effects of opening base facilities>

Walkability evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic (Tomohiro Ichinose)
Tachikawa City

Implementation period: 14–22 March 2022 | Target area: six cities along Chuo Line | Number of valid respondents: 2,446 people(approximately 400 in each city)）
Suginami - ku

Nakano - ku

Musashino City
Kokubunji City

Shinjuku - ku

ParkForestlandFarmland
Bodyofwater
Tachikawa
Tachikawa CityCity
Tachikawa City

Kokubunji City
Musashino City

Kokubunji City
Musashino City

Suginami - ku
Nkano – ku
Shinjukui - ku

Suginami - ku
Nakano - ku
Shinjuku - ku

Locations usually walked during leisure time (multiple answers allowed)
Impression is that walking to work or school does not have much effect on the frequency and length of walking during leisure
time.
Characteristics of each municipality are described below.
Shinjuku - ku: Highest number of people who walk for 90 minutes or more. Many people walk around neighbourhood. Not much nature, but fair number of amusing things to look at.
Nakano - ku: No long walks, and walking frequency is also low. Little attractive nature, and nothing particularly fun to look at..

Histogram showing length of time spent walking during leisure time
Created for respondents who walked at least one day a week, percentage in parentheses

Suginami - ku: Average area. Between Shinjuku City and Musashino City in terms of town and green space evaluation.
Musashino City: Highest number of people who walk the most and who walk for about 60–90 minutes. Atmosphere of town and green spaces are most regarded.
Kokubunji City: Tachikawa City: Many people do not walk much. Large amount of attractive nature, but no fun things to look at or buildings.

Comparative analysis of objective and subjective walkability (Takaji Shibayama)
Questionnaire survey conducted near centre of Vienna

Analysis framework

Comparativeanalysis

Data-based objective
walkability index

Questionnaire survey-based
subjective walkability index

Classification of walkability index
Categorising components of walkability from perspective of civil engineering and urban planning

Index type

Element

Civil engineering indices

Sidewalk surface, sidewalk width, road traffic volume,cleanliness, on-street parking, noise obstacles

City planning indicesStore facilities, information boards, rest areas, security

Comparative analysis

78 subjects were asked to actually walk on designatedstreet for about one hour, and a subjective ‘walkability
evaluation’ was obtained from the questionnaire

Breakdown of each element of the index is also classified from an objective–subjective perspective

Each index
element

Objective elements(quantifiableelements)
Subjective elements(policy outcomes)

Directly manipulable by policy

Due to experimental design
Cognitive elements
Crossing with other road users

Elements systematically classified from civil engineering–urban planning × objective–subjectiveperspectives

Identification of individual factors that affect subjective
walkability

Environment and usage at Marunouchi street parking
Analyse effects from multiple perspectives, such as space usage
surveys based on people flow data, thermal environment surveys,
user awareness questionnaire surveys, and sales trend surveys(Akinobu Murakami)
Awareness survey

Thermal environment survey

90% of respondents agreed withmaking in a Marunouchi Naka-doria permanent outdoor plaza, and93% agreed with expanding
outdoor store seating to thestreet. (visitor questionnaire)

Sales trend survey

People flow data analysis

Sales increased at restaurants
with expanded outdoor seatingcompared to all months prior toinitiative.
Store A: Sales 224%
Store B: Sales 119%

Not only was the number of thermally safe sections increased, but also a thermally comfortable space was created
Areas with higher thermal comfort (cooler places) had longer stays

Highway PA design that incorporates the concept of zero-order prevention (HiroshiIwasaki)
Green space design that incorporates concept of zero-order prevention → Usual use → Unconsciously enjoying effects of green spaces
What is zero-order prevention?
Food court

Health promotion that improves environment and leads to health without individual effort

ToiletReference: Primary prevention; Health promotion based on individual efforts

Conventional SA/PAGreenspaceGreenspace

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare / Health Japan 21 (Second) Basic Plan for 10 years from2013

Parking space
User movement route

Placing green areas on line based on concept of zero-order prevention

Food courtToilet

Conventional SA/PAGreenspace

Parking space
User movement route

Noro PA that incorporates zero-order prevention
Placing green space on route of normal environment → Unconsciously having contact
with greenery → Enjoying effect of greenery → Relieving stress → Effective inpreventing driving-related accidents

Potential of spatial evaluation using pedestrian expressions and gestures (Aya Kojima)
Walking space evaluation system

Charles Darwin‘Facial expression is inherited regardless of learning orculture’
The Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals, 1872
Meaning and judgment of a smile are not influenced by race or life experience

Footage captured fromstreet security
camerasObservation survey on street in front of train station in Saitama

Relationship between smile degree andcar traffic volume on single-section
roads

Relationship between smile degree and sidewalk width increase

ID numberAge

Smile degree

Sex

Average smile degreeAveragesmile
degreeEffective width
less than 3 m
Effective width
3 m or more
Number of passing vehicles per hour

Effective width
less than 3 m

Effective width
3 m or more

Image evaluation using AI (Kenji Doi)
Results of walkability / coziness evaluation
0s

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

60s

70s

80s

90s

100s

110s

Average : 0.54

Level ofwalkability

1.
0.75
0.5

0.25
0.
0

2

4

68

1012

14

1
6

1
8

202
2

ー Level of walkability

242
62
8

3032343638404244464850525456586062646668707274767880828486889092949698

10010210410610
8ー Level of coziness ー 1-sec. moving average

112114116118120sAverage : 0.27

1.

Level ofcoziness1100.75
0.5
0.25
0.
0

2468

101214161820222426283032343638404244464850525456586062646668707274767880828486889092949698

100

102104106108110112114116118120sMinistry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism

Composition of indicesMaterial under consideration

Index for measuring comfort of downtown
Supplementary survey items

Main indices

Subjectivity, activity

Expectation

Peace ofmind

Tolerance

Sense ofsecurity

Objective value

Quantity(numberof people
passing,number ofpeoplestaying...)

Proportion(age,gender,single /multiple...)Activity
type

Equipment status

Relating tosense ofsecurity

Relatingto
comfortRelating toconvenience

Space is evaluated in terms of the ‘main indices’ of subjectivity and activity.
Objective values and equipment status are collected as ‘supplementary survey items’, but not included
among evaluation indices.

Growth rate of local wealth and growth rate of local production
Gross regional product growth rate

(Shunsuke Managi)(Inclusive wealth)SustainabilityJahn Gehl’s classification of outdooractivities⑫ Managi• Necessary activities → able to walk
• Optional activities → want to walk
• Social activities → walk and be happy③ Shibayama, Tajima⑨ Kojima⑦ Murakami⑩ Doi⑧ Iwasaki⑤ Osada② Ito⑥ Shibayama① Toriumi⑪ MLITCity⑤ Ichinose

HealthSummary of FY2022 (third year)
What kind of walkability index is used depends on input and outcome• The concept of “Walkability” is being discussed in the context of health improvement andurban planning• Ultimate outcome is achievement of well-being, but there are various requirements• Diversity in walkability indices around the world is due to social issues of each locale• The framework of walkability was demonstrated, and walkability index was organized• We were able to present new indices along with evaluations based on existing indices• Declining population and revitalization of central urban areas are the most significant
challenges in Japanese cities