Examining the safety status of sidewalks adjacent to shopping centers with emphasis on walkability (A case stuy of Sari)

Subject Areas : Urban and Regional Planning Studies

S. abbasi ¹ , S. lotfi ² , M. ghadami ³

1 - M.A., geography and urban planning , mazandaran university, babolsar, iran
2 - – professor of geography and urban planning, mazandaran university, babolsar, iran
3 - Assistant professor of geography and urban planning, mazandaran university, babolsar, iran

Received: 2015-11-26 Accepted : 2017-05-20 Published : 2017-05-22

Keywords: Sari, walkability, sidewalk safety, shopping centers,

Abstract :

Planning and design of cities based on the needs of pedestrians is one of the new approaches which are paid less attention in planning of the Iranian cities. In most cases priority is given to passing vehicle that jeopardize the safety of the citizens. Safety and security are very crucial in continues presence and collective life in urban space. So the present research aims to examine safety of sidewalks adjacent to shopping centre with emphasis on walkability. The samples are selected from all beneficiaries of two main street of Sari city as Garan and Farhang by conducting a field work to complete the given questionnaires. The collected data are analyzed using SPSS20 and also different statistical such as factor analysis, Freidman and one tailed T test. The results showed that the means of respondents has not essential difference with theoretical mean of 3. So it showed that the citizens have no sufficient safety against vehicles. The results of factor analyses revealed that in general two factors of safety -security and the impact of removing roadway system included about 53.9 percent of total variability of variables. Finally; the ranking of sidewalk safety components showed that creating cultural activities could increase the security and safety of the streets with mean rank of 7.38. The second priority was give to the removing of roadway system with mean of 5.97. So it can be concluded that separation of vehicle system from pedestrian in main shopping centers can help to safety and security.

References:

Ahmadi,h., & Banae keshtan,V. (2013). Increasing the quality of city space Through Walkability development (Case Study: Vanak Square Tehran). International Conference on Engineering  - Architectural urban And sustainable development urban, Tabriz Iran. (In Persian)

Abbas zadeh, SH., Tamri, S. (2012). Investigation The affecting factors on Improving spaces qualities of sidewalks in order to increasing The level of social interactions (Case Study:  Trbiyat and valiasr paths  Tabriz). Journal of urban studies, 4, 1-10. (In Persian)   

Appleyard, D. (1981). Livable Streets, Berkeley: University of California Press.

Brambilla. R., & Longo, G. (1977).  For Pedestrians Only: Planning and Management of Traffic Free Zones,  New York, Whitney Library of Design.

Bates, K. (2013). Making Pedestrian Malls Work; Key Elements of Successful Pedestrian Malls in the US and Europe, Oregon: Department of Planning, Public Policy, & Management of the University of Oregon.

Carmona, M.,  Heath, T., Oc, taner.,  & Tiesdell, S. (2003). Public Places - Urban Spaces: A Guide to Urban Design Paperback, Published by Architectural Press.

Ewing.  R., Handy. S. C,. Brownson. R., Clemente. O., & Winston.  E. (2006). Identifying and measuring urban design qualities related to walkability. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Human Kinetics, 3 (1), 223-240.

Fruin, J. (1971). Pedestrian planning and design, Metropolitan Association of Urban Designers and Environmental Planners, Sports & Recreation.

Gahaniyan, M., Yari, F., Hoseimpour, A., & Shamshirband, M. (2012). Analysis of Strategicaly The use from Walkability Spaces in urban design on emphasis reduction of urban pollutants. 4^th urban manegment and planning conference. Mashhad Iran, 1-13. (In Persian)

Ghorbani, R., Jamkasra, M. (2010). Pedestranization The new approach in revival city centers (Case Study: Tarbiyat sidewalk Tabriz). Journal of urban- regional research, 2 (8), 1-18. (In Persian)

Hasskhao, C. (1993). Impact of pedestrianization and traffic calming on retailing: A Review of the evidence from Germany and UK, Transpotration policy, L (1), 21-23.

Kashanijo, KH. (2006). the  importance of pedestrian spaces in 3millenary citys. Journal of art and Architectural, 17 &18, 1-13. (In Persian)

Litman, T.A. (2014). Economic Value of Walkability, Victoria Transport Policy Institute. Canada.

Mehrabadi, A. (2011). Effort in order to increasing social interactions in street through design pattern this space to walkability improvement. 3^th national conference urban civil. Azad university of sanandaj. (In Persian)

Moeni, M. (2006). Incresing  the ability walkability, Step ahead humaner sity. Journal of beaux arts, 27, 5-16.

Pusharev, B.S., & Zupon, J.M. (1975). Urban Space for Pedestrians, Cambridge, Mass, Mitpress.

Rezazadeh, R., Zebardast, A., & latifi Oskoii, L. (2011). Perceptual measurement of neighborhood walk ability and its influential factors in neighborhoods (Case study: Chizar neighborhood). Journal of urban manegment, 28, 297-313. (In Persian)

Soltani, A., & Piruzi, R. (2015). Survey the walk ability on historical– cultural paths (Case Study: Hafez path). Journal city and naitive Architectural, 3 (3), 65-77. (In Persian)

Sarokhani, B. (2003). The method research in Social Sciences.  Institute  Humanism and   Economic studies. (4^th Ed),Tehran. (In Persian)

Shamsuddin, Sh., Abu Hassan. N.R., & Ilani Bilyamin. S.F. (2012). Walkable environment in increasing the liveability of a city. ASEAN Conference on Environment-Behaviour Studies, Bangkok,Thailand, 167-178. (In Persian)

Simpson, B. J. (1988). City Center Planning and Transport, England, Van strands Vein bold.

Zoghi, H., Hajali, M., & Malek, M. (2011).The recognition of affective elements on passengers safety in paths and presentation applying in order to increace safety their.11^th International conference on traffic –transportation Engineering, 1-15. (In Persian)