Evaluating Pedestrian Environments: Evidence from Small Cities in Greece

Sustainable urban mobility is now a well-established concept in European cities which, during the last decade, they continuously put significant effort into elaborating sustainable urban mobility plans and upgrading their systems in favor of environmentally friendly transport modes. Walking is being gradually established as a primary pillar of urban mobility by being promoted as an attractive transport solution for both door-to-door and last mile trips. In order to increase walking modal shares, cities should provide a high-quality pedestrian mobility environment both in terms of related services and infrastructures. This study presents several results from a structured walkability audit process for evaluating pedestrian mobility conditions in urban areas. The study examines the case of small cities in Greece which so far have been characterized by a more car-oriented transport development and experience comparatively higher difficulties into securing appropriate funding for sustainable transport investments. In this study’s context, the proposed walkability audit has been performed in three (3) small Greek cities which represent different urban development models, i.e. a city with a physical barrier (Trikala), a historical small city with particular town layout (Mesologgi) and a city with high inclinations (Kavala). For each city case, key pedestrian quality and quantity indicators, such as sidewalks operating width per reference network length, quality of sidewalk pavement and pedestrians’ perceived safety and security, are measured and discussed. Comparative analysis of these indicators demonstrates critical strengths and weaknesses in each city and assists into prioritizing appropriate pedestrian mοbility improvement actions.