HPE’s Walkability Index – Quantifying the Pedestrian Experience

Walking continues to enjoy a renaissance as a serious mode of urban transportation. Its latest round of design innovation blends conventional transportation planning and engineering with urban design skills. This broadening of the considered pedestrian environment is vital to walking comfort, safety and increased activity. However, describing that environment is difficult. This paper outlines a new measure, based on ten evaluation criteria to determine thoroughfare segment walkability on a 100 point scale. HPE’s Walkability Index draws from the best transportation and urban design thinking and experience regarding walking/biking. Physical elements of a given thoroughfare and block face are considered in determining walkability. Several criteria vary based on the context of the thoroughfare under study. The Walkability Index not only assesses a location’s current level of walkability, but also provides suggestions for improvement. The Index serves as a richer alternate measure to the standard motor vehicle level of service, for use during project, corridor and urban design studies.