Desirable streets: Using deviations in pedestrian trajectories to measure the value of the built environment. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Salazar Miranda, Arianna; Fan, Zhuangyuan; Duarte, Fabio; Ratti, Carlo
• Is Part Of: Computers, environment and urban systems. Volume 86(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: Built environment -- Computer vision -- Deep learning -- Pedestrian choice; City planning -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Data processing -- Periodicals; 303.4834
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2020.101563
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0198-9715

Abstract

Abstract: The experience of walking through a city is influenced by amenities and the visual qualities of its built environment. This paper uses thousands of pedestrian trajectories obtained from GPS signals to construct a desirability index for streets in Boston. We create the index by comparing the actual paths taken by pedestrians with the shortest path between any origin-destination pairs. The index captures pedestrians' willingness to deviate from their shortest path and provides a measure of the scenic and experience value provided by different parts of the city. We then use computer vision techniques combined with georeferenced data to measure the built environment of streets. We show that desirable streets have better access to public amenities such as parks, sidewalks, and urban furniture. They are also sinuous, visually enclosed, have less complex facades, and have more diverse business establishments. These results further our understanding of the value that the built environment brings to pedestrians, enhancing our capacity to design more lively and functional environments. Highlights: The paper proposes a desirability index capturing streets' experience value using pedestrian's deviations from the shortest path. The empirical analysis uses computer vision techniques to uncover the built environment characteristics that desirable streets have in common. The results suggest desirable streets are visually enclosed with less complex facades and have better access to parks, sidewalks, and businesses.