Evaluation of perceived walkability and streetscape attractiveness in different types of width and street plantings in sidewalks

Abstract

Sidewalk walkability is important for realizing compact and walkable city. Greening at streets have several environmental functions such as improving the attractiveness of streetscapes and their implementation is steadily increasing in cities around the world. Increasing street greens, however, can also have other impacts such as visibility poorness and narrowing street space, which may negatively affect walkability. We conducted impression evaluation experiments by using manipulated images and analyzed the relationship between planting types and both walkability and streetscape attractiveness evaluation. We found that street trees in narrow sidewalks can have a negative influence on perceived walkability.