The role of perceived and objective accessibility in shaping walking behavior

Understanding the relationship between perceived and objective accessibility is critical for promoting urban mobility. This study explores the relationship between perceived and objective accessibility in shaping pedestrian behavior within mid-sized Spanish cities characterized by high activity dens...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Orrego Oñate, Jaime Pablo|||0000-0001-9368-2909, Marquet, Oriol|||0000-0002-7346-5664
Format: article
Publication Date:2025
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:305849
Online Access:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/305849
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1016/j.tra.2024.104340
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Objective accessibility
Perceived accessibility
Sustainable transportation
Travel behavior
Walking behavior
Description
Summary:Understanding the relationship between perceived and objective accessibility is critical for promoting urban mobility. This study explores the relationship between perceived and objective accessibility in shaping pedestrian behavior within mid-sized Spanish cities characterized by high activity density. Using perceived proximity as a proxy for accessibility, the study evaluates how these two measures influence travel mode choices across various trip purposes. The results suggest that perceived accessibility mediates the relationship between objective accessibility and walking decisions particularly for activities like restaurants and entertainment. Moreover, the alignment between perceived and objective accessibility varies by activity type, with stronger correlations observed in high-accessibility contexts. These findings underscore the importance of integrating subjective perceptions with objective measures when designing interventions aimed at promoting active transportation, such as walking. By addressing psychological and experiential dimensions of accessibility alongside conventional spatial metrics, this study provides valuable guidance for urban planners and policymakers to enhance sustainable transportation systems. © 2024 The Author(s).