Although there is a significant body of work associating features of the built environment with travel behaviors such as walking trips and mode choice, very few studies have examined the relationship between micro-level features of the built environment and street segment usage. Micro-level features of the built environment include the width of the sidewalk, the presence of amenities such as benches and trash bins, and the presence of crossing aids such as stoplights and crosswalks. This study employs segment-level primary data collected for a total of 346 street segments in close proximity to one of 68 bus rapid transit (BRT) stations in Bogotß, Colombia.We also use secondary data to control for area-level characteristics suchas density, socio-economic stratum, unemployment, and crime. Through factor and regression analyses, we identify two dimensions of the built environment that are associated with higher levels of pedestrian activity: 1) pedestrian friendly amenities, comprised of wider and higher quality sidewalks and the presence of amenities such as benches, garbage cans, and bike paths; and 2) connectivity, comprised of higher levels of road density, three- and four-way intersections, and density. In addition, we find greaterpedestrian activity on segments with higher development intensity, with more mix of land uses, and with more crossing aids. Although the relationships identified are not causal, our findings have important implications for planning successful built environment interventions, given recent interest in promoting pedestrian travel for both environmental and public health reasons.
Abstract